Artemis Fowl: The Child in Me
by Mystichawk
Summary: Artemis has become legit. Finally! But old dreams still haunt him of when he was a cold monster-like child. Holly comes up for a visit after spending three days of R&R with Juliet, but finds that her favorite mud boy is quite a bit different. Now Holly is determined to find out what's wrong with Artemis. Fun characters, loads of laughs, and maybe even the occasional tear-jerker.
1. Chapter 1: Artemis's diary

**Disclaimer: I have no ownership of Artemis Fowl, his mother, or any other characters mentioned in this short compilation.** **If I did, I would be on the way to making the nineth movie! **

**Artemis Fowl's Diary: Disc 3 (Encrypted.) **

After many successful years of my adventures, legal or illegal, magical or mischievous, with the influence of the Butlers, my parents and of course, the Fairy folk, (if I may be perfectly frank, it was more like pestering than influence,) I have finally decided to become legitimate. Yes, no more kidnapping fairies, no more adventures in the arctic, no more selling fairy technology to the highest bidder.

No, my ventures must be completely above the level now, as my every move is being watched, most likely by Foaly and his miniscule cameras planted about my bedroom and, indeed, all around the house. I happen to know about these because I have recently developed a software program to detect bugs in just about any form; electronically, mechanical, or even organic, as I found when I happened to step upon an ant while getting out of the Fowl Bentley. Alarms went off and Butler, being Butler, tried to drag me down behind the Bentley and shield me from what he probably assumed was an air raid.

Upon explaining to him that my life was not in danger and that it was simply an ant that had caused him to panic so, he almost glowered at me. I could see it in his eyes. Replaying that afternoon now, in my head, I have the almost undignified urge to chuckle. Shocking.

My head has been a bit sore of late. Juliet says it's my genius plans trying to get out. I certainly hope not. Holly, what little I see of her, has suggested that a certain multiple personality which I will _not_ name, is trying to make himself known again. This is a more horrifying thought than my genius plans getting a life of their own! Speaking of Holly, (and I find myself doing this more and more often,) she is scheduled to have a vacation in three days. I only know this because Juliet has been twittering about it all week. Apparently she and Holly have been booked at an expensive spa in Black-rock for three whole days. I can only hope she doesn't charge it to our account.

Becoming legitimate has considerably dried up my funds. Make no mistake, I still enjoy the privilege of being a member of the wealthiest Irish family, but now, the Fowls are geared to more tasteful and, (I shudder slightly,) less profitable ventures. For the past few months I have also had the misfortune to be the subject of dreams, (an unlikely occurrence, whatever my standings.) These dreams take the shape of scenes from my childhood. I can tell you, I was mildly shocked when they first appeared. It was on a Tuesday night, while I dozed at my computer.

The dream began in a most horrifying fashion: me, watching me. It was a younger me, sitting in a deep red leather armchair, about ten, I think. I was busy typing on the computer for something. suddenly, the door opened and I found myself looking at a ghost. Or, it might as well have been. It was my mother, but I recognized the lucid state she was in as the first signs of her depression. The younger me didn't even look up.

"Ah, Arty my boy, so that's where you've been hiding. Come over here and give mommy a hug."

The younger me scowled. "Mother, please leave. I'm trying to sort out these accounts."

Mother dropped her outstretched arms and said, "Very well Arty. But, do you know where your father is, love? I can't seem to find him anywhere. has he gone off on one of his business trips and forgotten to tell his dear Angeline?" She spoke in a dreamy way. Like she was hypnotized, but I was certain there was nothing in the room that could hypnotize anybody.

"Mother, we've been over this before: father's ship went down. we got the news yesterday." Ah, now I remember. it was three days after the _Fowl Star _had sunk; the three most miserable days of my life. (Although climbing up the titanium sewage pipe to break in to Koboi Laboratories and spending three days spouting poetry to Holly are close runners up.)

Mother blinked. "But, Arty-"

"Mother, please remove yourself. You are making a spectacle." I shudder at the coldness in my voice.

Mother suddenly blanched. "You're not my little Arty. My little Arty is wonderful boy who loves his mother and father! Not some cold, detestable child. you're an imposter! Butler! BUTLER!"

Mother started screaming and in a second, Butler was there, holding a Sig Sauer in both hands.

"Madam Fowl, what's wrong?"

"Oh Butler, there's an imposter in my house! He tried to make me think he was my little Arty, but I'm too clever for that! Please remove him from my sight!"

Butler looked at the younger me, then at Mother. "Madam,"

"Butler," the younger me said, jumping in. He- I, was decisively calm. "Mother is suffering from a huge amount of stress right now, and that kind of stress can impair the brain. She most likely has adopted this imposter theory so as not to confront the real problem: the mess father left behind. A mess which I, luckily, am trying to clean up. Be so good as to remove her from the vicinity."

"You see!" Mother said, jumping at the chance. "MY little arty would not speak in such a manner. Ordering you around like you're some kind of manservant!"

That did it. "Butler, please." I said through clenched teeth. "You can see how the stress of losing father has effected her mind. Please, remove her."

Mother glowered at me. "He is the imposter! Sitting in that chair like that, thinking he's my little Arty, or even Arty's father! Yes, that's it! You thought you could come in here and take over the Fowl estate! Well, not while I'm still breathing, sonny! Butler, take care of this imposter."

"Butler," The younger me warned.

Butler gave me a glance, then he looked at mother. "Madam Fowl, I will dispatch this imposter immediately. Why don't you go on up to your room and have a nice long rest."

Looking back on it, I could've sworn Butler's words were laced with_ Mesmer_! Bah. No matter.

I, the younger I, (this is getting tiresome.) I sat there for a few moments, listening to the sound of footsteps in the hall and up the stairs, to mother's second landing room. The door closed and in under a minute, Butler was back, standing in the doorway.

The younger me walked up to him and said authoritatively, "Butler, as my father is now gone, I am the head of the Fowl empire and as such, it is my duty to keep this estate running financially. To do that, I need silence when I'm working. In short, Butler, The next time I give you an order I will expect it to be followed immediately."

Then the younger me stormed out of the office, leaving Butler looking amazed, confused, and even a little sad. I know now that the sadness was not of my orchestration, but more out of Butler's sympathy towards me.

Then the dream ended and I woke, sweating through my silk pajamas and urgently needing to go to the bathroom.


	2. Chapter 2: Back from Blackrock

**Disclaimer: I own nothing! As painful as it is to admit, I own nothing of Artemis Fowl's. No T-shirt, no funny pictures, I own nothing! (Apart from a set of books, ((which I bought!)) and a poster, and I don't even ****_own_**** them, in like the sense that I wrote them or- you know what? Never mind. Read and enjoy, peoples!**

Holly Short had never had such a good vacation in her life! The mud pits, the green slime, the cold, round things they put over your eyes, it was bliss! She was sad she would have to be going.

Holly was in the Fowl Bentley, after Juliet had persuaded her brother to lend it to her for a few days, (and none-too willingly, Holly suspected.) the car was huge, by Holly's standards, and sitting on the seats made her feel uncomfortable. Leather; cow hide. It made Holly squirm. _But,_ she thought, _it was better than some of the cars Juliet had picked from._ She shuddered slightly, then resigned herself to thinking about a return trip and what she would do on her next visit to Blackrock.

As if the mud girl next to her could hear her thoughts, Juliet Butler said, "_I'm_ not sorry to be leaving this place. Too much makeup. Bah!"

One of the more cheekier towel boys had commented that her skin was almost perfect, expect for the residue left from days of wearing green glitter mascara. Juliet had suplexed him into the sauna hut, where he had the misfortune to land on the bed of black hot rocks. Misfortune; baloney. Juliet was a proud marksman- er, woman, and holly was pretty sure she knew where the towel boy was going to land.

Holly was strapped into the Fowl Bentley's black leather seat by a seat belt wider than her own arm. Needless to say, she was not enjoying herself.

"Can't I just stay in the trunk? I've been in there before and it didn't kill me." _Not while Juliet was driving, you weren't!_ said her brain.

"Sorry fairy girl. I know the seats are kind of. . ." She glanced at Holly, sitting there like a silently fuming three-year-old. Albeit, a three-year-old with an extremely powerful buzz baton. "Misproportioned," she finished. "But there's nothing I can do about it! Unless you want me to strap you into a car seat-"

"No no," Holly said quickly, remembering that car seats were for human babies. "No thanks, I can manage."

Juliet smiled all the way back to the airport. Holly grumbled and fumed all the way back to the airport.

When they got to the airport that connected them from Blackrock, Nevada; to Dublin, Ireland; they ran into a slight problem. Of course, Artemis had warned Holy this might happen, but she hadn't listened.

The problem was mainly Root and Foaly's fault. Root had admonished magic this trip to the surface, and no magic meant she couldn't shield, _Mesmer,_ or even use the mud ring, the special magical device made by Foaly to make above-ground jaunts for Recon Fairies easier.

The principle behind the mud ring was that it used barely any power, (less power than the _Mesmer,_) to throw a glamour over the Fairy wearing the ring. This glamour turned that fairy, essentially, into a human for a short time. Of course, it didn't actually _turn_ them into humans, it just gave them the height and features of a mud man, (or woman.) Doubtlessly, Foaly could explain it better than that, but Holly was a bit preoccupied with the mud man peering at her suspiciously over his desk, which was move that a foot higher than her.

Holly, who was thoroughly annoyed about this as well, had been forced to wear a wig to cover her ears and a three-year-old's jumper and sweater over her LEP Recon suit. Her helmet was back at Fowl Manor, where Artemis had assured her that it would be safe. She doubted it. He'd cannibalized at least three Fairy helmets _since_ the Siege.

The man at the desk was still squinting at her._ Yeesh, _Holly thought, _if you have to squint so much, get yourself a pair of glasses!_

Finally, the Desk clerk spoke. "You're sisters?" He asked, scanning Juliet with his grey eyes. He took in her Asian/Caucasian gene mix, her green glitter eyes, and most of all, her astonishing amount of muscles.

"That's right sir," Juliet said, pulling on her most cutesy voice for the desk manager. "I'm Yolanda and this is Berenice. We're traveling in a circus but we got separated around California. We were doing a states tour, except for Alaska of course, 'cause it's all snowy and icy there, you know? Anyway, we were going to do a European tour next, and the ringmaster said Ireland was our next stop, so can we please get on the plane?"

Holly silently groaned. Yolanda? Circus? States tour? Juliet was really laying it on thick.

Juliet smiled, revealing a set of white teeth that would've made Mulch Diggums proud. "Please Mr.? We already got our tickets and if we don't catch this one, we might not find them!"

The guy at the desk grunted and waved them through. Holly followed Juliet, thoroughly relieved and stopped only to stick out her tongue at the man behind the desk, the way a normal kid would. If Root had been there, he would've yanked her badge and stripped her stripes.

_Then again,_ said her brain, _if Root had been here, he probably would've created mass panic. It's one thing to have a little girl with a big muscly sister, but it's quite another to have a little boy with a face like a tomato, sucking on a cigar walking through the terminal. A little boy with a voice like a sub-woofer, no less. _

The flight was pretty uneventful. Holly busied herself thinking about what she would do when she got back to Fowl manor. Hopefully Master Artemis would be in a good mood today.

_Tomorrow. _She reminded herself. _Different time zone, and it took about eighteen hours to get here, so yes, definitely tomorrow. Possibly even the day after. _In any case, she hoped that she would be able to coax the Fowl heir out of his dusty office and out to do _something_ interesting.

Holly ran through her list of possible time occupiers:_ Shopping?  
_Nah. Artemis had enough stuff, and mud man shopping was like being in the middle of a troll stampede.  
_Reading?_  
Nah. It seemed Artemis couldn't get his nose out of a book these days._  
Sight-seeing?_  
Artemis had lived in Dublin his whole life! He was sure to know some good places to relax and hang out. Then again, they would probably have Butler at their back, (or at least _a_ Butler,) and Holly was sure Butler didn't even know the meaning of the word _relax_. _  
_

She sighed and picked up a copy of one of Artemis's Romance novels. She read a few pages then put it down, holding her stomach as if she might be sick. Juliet noticed the Fairy girl's discomfort and said, "What's up? You got airsickness?"

In response Holly just passed the book to Juliet and Juliet said, "Yeah so what? It's Butler's book." Holly gestured for her to read it, still not ready to speak yet.

Juliet shrugged and opened the book. She looked back at Holly and raised her eyebrow. Holly gestured again and Juliet raised the book to eye level and began to read. Fifteen seconds and two pages later, she put the book down. Her eyes were as wide as saucers.

"That was. . ."

"Yeah."

Neither of the girls spoke until they touched down in Dublin.

* * *

**Author's note: **

**Hey Ladies and Germs! Nice to smell you! Just thought I'd let you know, I might not post for a while because I'll be running for my life from Butler, now that I've divulged his secret Romance Novel passion to the media. Oh Sh&*%! There's a knocking at the door! Gotta go! I'll leave up the contents of Artemis's book to you guys! See ya! **


	3. Chapter 3: Nightmares

**Disclaimer: No, I don't Artemis Fowl. I would be, like, a million-dollar writer with a freaking awesome life if I did!**

After they exited the plane, Holly and Juliet had to sit and wait while the car was delivered by a cargo barge, driven by one of Butler's friends. It seemed to Holly that everywhere they went, they were swamped with friends of Butler. Ex-Marines, Bodyguards, Customs Officials; there was even a guy at the spa who recognized Juliet as Butler's sister and said that he'd served with him in Montreal.

Holly shook her head, smiling. Butler reminded her so much of Root. Soldier to the end, the both of them. Juliet was nothing like that. She was a free spirit, when she wasn't pulverizing towel boys.

In any case, Holly was glad to have had a few days alone with Juliet. Just time to hang out and relax.

Juliet, however, was thinking less calm thoughts. Hers were more along the lines of: Oh god, if I lose the Bentley Butler's gonna kill me.

The younger Butler knew this was not true, for anything other than the car. Besides Butler's Sig Sauer and Juliet herself, it was the thing he loved most in the world. If she lost it, well, as tough as Juliet was, she did not want to go up against her brother after he'd just found out his favorite car had been stolen. That was the stuff of nightmares.

Juliet glanced nervously around the airport, which was about a few dozen meters away from the loading docks, where her brother's precious car was being unloaded. She wanted to hurry up and get their bags, but the stupid attendant was busy checking her makeup in the reflective surface of the window. They couldn't go until the attendant excused them to exit the plane.

Finally Juliet had had enough. "Hey miss, can we go yet?"

The attendant looked up and said in a silky voice, "Oh, yes, go ahead."

Juliet grumbled, snatching her bag and hurriedly exited the plane. Holly jogged along, trying to keep up with the girl's massive strides.

When they got to the Loading dock, Juliet breathed out a sigh of relief. Her brother's car was safe.

Holly, who was still a few feet away, said, "You don't- _*pant pant* _actually think they'd hurt it, do you?"

Juliet shrugged but Holly stopped short beside Juliet and said, still breathing heavily, "They know- _*pant pant*_ Butler will be after them in a heartbeat if they even let a Pigeon _poo_ on his car."

Juliet smiled at the Fairy girl and said, "Yeah. Sorry for going ballistic about it." She noticed Holly's breathing and she said, "Yeesh, you look like a marathon winner! Was I really walking that fast?"

Holly smiled. "Oh yes. That and more. I feel like a Chimpanzee is jumping up and down in my chest," She paused to look at Juliet in the face, "in fast forward!"

Juliet patted the fairy's shoulder and said, "Don't worry Holly. At least you don't have Kevlar clinging to your ribs."

Holly winced internally. Of course, she was the one to blame for Butler's unwanted fibers, but Juliet was probably just making a joke. She wasn't trying to rebuke Holly, but Holly felt that way anyway. Even after all she, Butler and Artemis had been through, she still felt guilty about that particular healing.

The instant they got in the car, Holly took off the wig and jumper and massaged her ears gently. "Ah. . ." she said. the feeling was beginning to come back to them after being cramped into that stupid wig for hours, and then being trapped in a shower cap for three days.

Juliet smiled and revved the engine, happy to be out of the air and back on the road: her turf.

They drove and drove, talking about everything from Fairy wrestling to the disadvantages of headbands all the while, and made it to Fowl Manor in less than three hours.

_Of course, we could've gotten there and gotten back three times faster if we'd have had the Lear Jet, _grumped Juliet as they got out of the car and made their way to the front door.

She'd badgered her brother, and Artemis, and neither had relented for a while; but eventually, Butler had said that it would be OK to use the Bentley. Juliet smiled at remembering the pained expression on his face. It was like he was letting go of one of his children or something.

Juliet chuckled to herself softly. Butler. Children. Ha! The only children Butler would ever have would be Fowl children staying over at his house on weekends when he was well over 90.

"He he." Juliet laughed quietly. They would be calling him Grandpa Butler, and plotting devious little plots about how to get to the cookie jar, and-

"Juliet? You OK?"

Juliet blinked and looked down. It was Holly. "Oh, yeah Holly. I'm just daydreaming. Let's get inside! I'm tired."

Holly looked uncertainly at Juliet, but the girl just smiled and pushed the huge front door open.

_I wonder what she was daydreaming about?_ Holly thought as she made her way into the house.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Artemis was shut up in his room. He'd been doing that a lot of late. This time it was because he was having a nightmare again.

Artemis, even though it was mid morning and he was usually a night person anyway, was in his bed, trying to get some sleep but was thwarted time and time again by the dreams that had plagued him for endless nights.

As a result, Artemis had been irritable and surly towards anyone who had the misfortune to come across him. After a day of two, Butler decided to leave the boy alone. He was, of course, worried about his young charge, but he just drummed the behavior up to hormones.  
His mother, however, continued to try and connect with her son while he was hostile and solitary. She was actually the best person equipped to do this, in Butler's opinion, because she had been around him in the only other time when he'd exhibited this behavior: when his father had passed away.

The nightmare this time was of the same quality as the previous weeks'. It was only the content that was different.

Artemis was eleven and a quarter. He knew that immediately when the dream started, because he was in his office, previously his father's office, and he was installing the newest computers and screens. Butler was there too, helping with the more heavy labor.

This was about a year since his father's disappearance and about the same time, minus a couple of weeks, since his mother's mind had collapsed, leaving him to run the entire Fowl Empire.

Artemis remembered how resentful he'd felt towards his mother during that time, but he'd hidden it well. Except for now.

Artemis was instruction Butler on which side was right side up for the flat screen he was trying to install above the bookcase, when Angeline breezed in, literally. It was the middle of October, which was the most blustery month of the year in Ireland.

Leaves blew in like a hurricane and Artemis could've sworn his mother was a banshee, the way she brought the wind in with her and the way she dressed, in her flowing blue robe and thin hair, slick with sweat and lack of proper washing.

"Where is he?" his mother demanded, looking at Butler. Butler, who was so surprised that he dropped the monitor, at which Artemis swore so violently that both Butler and his mother turned to stare at him.

The younger Artemis just sat down in his father's chair and said, "That will be coming out of _your_ paycheck, Butler." Then he turned around and focused on setting up the main computer tower, out of which all the other monitors would operate.

His mother, however, would not be put off so easily. "Artemis!" she said sharply, making her son jump in his seat.

_It only felt like a millimeter! _Thought Artemis crossly as he watched himself jump. _Was it really so obvious? _Apparently so. Artemis's mother stalked over to her son, spun his chair around and said, "Now you listen to me, son. I will not have you befouling your father's office! I demand that you dispose of these," she glanced around at the monitors. "These_ things,_ immediately!"

Younger Artemis sighed and gently patted his mother's hand. "Yes of course, mother. I will do just that. Can't believe what I was thinking of, turning father's study into a worthwhile room again. Well, I will get rid of these thing straight away. Why don't you go on upstairs and relax in your room?"

Artemis the elder sighed. He'd been a silver-tongued little devil back then.

But Angeline was having none of it. She snatched her hand away and stared pointedly at her son. "Oh no! You're not putting one over on me, Artemis Fowl the second! You can take these things out and install them in your own room, while I sit out here and watch."

Artemis the younger's temper flared up. "But mother-"

"No Arty. I've made up my mind. Take these things out at once!"

Artemis the younger took several beep breaths, trying to contain himself. Admittedly, it had not been common for him to lose his temper back then, but whenever he was around his mother, he felt an unstable feeling come over him.

"Mother, please listen to me: I shall indeed remove them, but you don't need to be present when I do. It would tire you, so I only suggest that you go up to your room for a little while until I've finished, then you can come and view it for yourself."

Angeline shook her head. "No Arty. I want you to take them out now and I'm not tired in the least, so you can stop stalling and get these things out of your father's study!"

Artemis the younger lost it right then and there. He sprang up from his chair and started shouting. "Do you know what these monitors are for? Do you?! They are for checking CNN sites and missing person's reports. They are trying to find father, and you're not letting them! You don't want father to be found is that it?! You'd rather have your hallucinations than the real man!" Then Artemis the younger broke all remaining composure and ran from the room, silently sobbing.

Artemis woke up yelling, his arms and legs tangled in the bedsheets.


	4. Chapter 4: Bitter Memories and Madness

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own Artemis Fowl. But you already guessed that, didn't you? **

**Warning: This chapter is a little bit intense, so I've upped the rating. just warning you.  
**

* * *

"Hey, bro, I'm home!" Juliet shouted as she and Holly walked through the front door and into the entrance hall.

The house was no different in appearance than it had been the last time Holly had been here, but it seemed completely void of occupants.

"Where is everybody?" Holly asked, peering around as they dropped their bags and headed to the living room, where they assumed someone would be. Someone was.

"Ah, Juliet. Glad to have you back, dear." It was Angeline Fowl. She was sitting on the living room couch with a book on her lap. Holly and Juliet waked closer and Juliet threw her arms around the woman. "Hello Mrs. Fowl. Glad to be back."

Angeline nodded and glanced down at Holly. "Ah, and this must be the famous Holly Short. Welcome to our Manor, Captain."

Holly's eyes were as wide as saucers. Mrs. Fowl knew her name?

"Artemis." Juliet and Mrs. Fowl said simultaneously, by way of an explanation. Ah. Of course.

"Oh." She said, narrowing her eyes in annoyance with the mud boy. "Well, I guess you know the whole story, then."

"Yes." Artemis's mother smiled and bent down to holly's eye level. "And I'm glad that such a hard-working officer like you get's a few days off. "

"Yes. I'm glad too." Holly smiled. She really liked the mud woman.

"So, where is everybody?" Juliet asked, thumping down on the couch and looking quizzically at Mrs. Fowl. "Where's Butler and Arty?"

Angeline Fowl suddenly looked incredibly downcast. Juliet noticed and jumped up to put an arm around Mrs. Fowl. "Angeline, what's wrong?"

"It's..." Angeline could barely speak and her voice was low and croaking. "It's Artemis."

Holly suddenly felt ice-cold shivers going down her spine. Angeline's expression was so sad and downcast, what in the world could make her sound so depressed?

"He-" she hiccuped. "He's been in his room for a week. He hasn't come down since before you left. Something's wrong with him."

Holly blinked. "Have you tried to open the door? Have you asked him to let you in?"

"No." Fresh tears were streaming down Angeline's face. "He won't let me or Butler in. Butler tried to pick the lock, but Arty had blocked the door with something heavy. Like a bookcase. He hasn't eaten anything for a week. I'm so worried about him."

Holly stood up. "Let me talk to him. He'll let me in."

Angeline's head shot up and the expression on her face was one of purest hope. "Oh Holly, will you? Will you please try?"

Holly nodded, wondering what she was getting herself into. "I will do whatever I can."

Angeline suddenly jumped up and threw her arms around Holly. Holly was surprised. "It's alright..." But Angeline just held on to her, sobbing two words in her ear. _"Thank you. Thank you." _

"You're welcome, Mrs. Fowl."

Mrs. Fowl pulled away, but still held on to Holly's shoulders. "Holly, after all you've done, call me Angeline."

Juliet was watching the two women with a worried expression on her face. "Angeline," She said after Angeline had let Holly go. "Angeline, where's Dom?"

Angeline glanced up at Juliet and said regretfully, "Oh, Juliet. Yes, Butler is in the security booth. Fourth floor."

Juliet just nodded and was gone in a flash of green glitter.

Angeline sat down again and said, "Oh and Holly, please be gentle with him."

Holly was already on her way to the staircase when the woman spoke. "Don't worry Angeline." What did the woman think, that she was going to jolt Artemis back to sanity with her buzz baton?

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Artemis was in the middle of another one of his dreams. This one was a more recent memory; in fact, it was the memory of when he'd first seen Holly Short. When he'd taken her captive.

"Looking for something?"

Artemis watched himself standing in Holly's cell, not two feet away from her, watching her scrabble down the side of her boot.

"Sit, please"

The expression on Holly's face was one of utmost contempt and hatred. He could practically hear her thoughts whizzing around in her head. Could she incapacitate him, and use him for leverage? The thought had amused Artemis then, but now it only disgusted him. he had deserved this, of course, but it scared him to think of what Holly would've done to him if he was all alone and she was free in that instant.

"Getting ideas, are we, Captain Short?"

Holly bared her teeth and Artemis the elder grimaced. As much as he hated to admit it, there was one thing that scared him more than anything: Holly.

"We are both fully aware of the rules here, Captain. This is my house. You must abide by my wishes. Your laws, not mine. Obviously my wishes do not include bodily harm to myself, or you attempting to leave this house."

Artemis put his hands over his ears. He didn't want to hear it. It was too painful. He couldn't. He wouldn't!

"How do know my-"

"Your name? Your rank? If you wear a name tag. . ."

The younger Artemis smiled. the elder Artemis remembered feeling no joy or relish in that smile.

"But that's written in-"

"Gnommish. I know. I happen to be fluent. As is everyone in my network."

Barely the truth. Butler had tried to learn it, but he confessed it gave him a headache. Juliet hadn't even tried. Her theory was that if her brother couldn't do it, there was no point in trying.

Holly just stared at him, unblinking. "Fowl," She said coldly. "You have now idea what you've done."

Oh, why hadn't he listened to her and abandoned the entire enterprise and just used the communicator to make a profit? Then none of the pain him and his family had gone through would've happened.

_But then,_ he remembered with a twinge of guilt, _none of my family would be here today. Not mother, not father, not even me. Not really. _Artemis knew that if he had kept up the way he'd been going, he would've ended up a cold, monstrous creature with no pity and no morals and absolutely nothing in the world, besides his brains.

Artemis the younger shrugged. "I'm not concerned with _us all, _just myself. And believe me, I shall be perfectly fine. Now, sit, please."

The real Artemis tried to keep himself from crying. He'd been so cold. All he'd been thinking of was the gold. Just the gold.

"This isn't over, Fowl. We have powers you can't possibly know about. it would take days to describe them all!"

Artemis looked up in horror. _"No, please no! Not that, please!" _He tried to scream, or tear himself away, but he couldn't.

The dream-Artemis laughed again. "How long do you think you've been here?"

_"NO!" _

"A few hours?"

"Three days. We've had you on a drip for over sixty hours . . . until you told us everything we needed to know."

_"No, please, no!" _

"Three days? You could've killed me. What kind of . . ."

And then the elder Artemis screamed. He remembered the feeling of horrible guilt that had crept through his brain. How could he have done that? How could he have even contemplated doing that?

"Well then, Master Fowl," She spat at him. "If you know so much about us, then you know what happens when they locate me."

"Oh yes, I know. In fact, I'm counting on it."

"Oh really? Tell me, boy, have you ever met a Troll?"

"No. Never a Troll."

"You will, Fowl. You will . And I hope I'm there to see it."

Artemis the elder screamed again and sobbed. He'd deserved everything he'd gotten! And then more! He deserved to be mauled by the wild Troll, thrown against a freight train, and then buried alive by the fairies for the things he'd done.

He jolted out of his nightmare and reflexively grabbed something and threw it. It was his alarm clock and it smashed against the wall, cogs and springs flying in all directions. He tried to stop screaming, but he couldn't. He was still screaming when he heard a banging on the door and worried yelling from behind the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Holy heard the noises before she'd gone up ten steps. The screaming, the crashes. She heard it and ran up the last twenty steps, thinking, _please don't be hurt. Please let him be alive!_

"Artemis! Open up Artemis Fowl the second!" She hammered on his door and then pulled back to listen. He wasn't screaming now, but she still heard whimpering and crashed from behind the door. "Artemis," She said more gently. "Please let me in. Please."

Artemis went silent. he heard the voice, but he wasn't sure it was really her. Were the nightmares teasing him while he was still awake now?

"Who is it?" He tried to say in a dignified manner, but it really came out as a kind of hoarse whisper.

"Artemis? is that you? It's Holly."

Artemis sat up in his bed and stared at the door in horror. "No, I can't! Go away!"

Holly heard and she just frowned at the door. Oh, how she wished she had her Neutrino. "Artemis! Let me in! NOW!"

"NO!" Artemis started screaming again and he threw the small table beside his bed at the door. "Leave me alone! I deserve it, I know, but I can't go out! You'll have to find your way inside!"

Now Artemis was completely mad. He knew it. He was babbling about leaving his room, but he couldn't stop himself. He had given up all effort.

Holly was getting incredibly worried. She knew she had to get in some way, but how? Now he was babbling again. "Artemis, I'm ordering you to let me in!"

Artemis shook his head and the small spark of sense he had told him that she couldn't see him.

"No. Holly, you don't understand. I can't let you in. If I do, you'll hurt me."

That made Holly freeze where she was. Hurt him? What could she do to him? Was _she_ the thing he was so afraid of?

"Artemis, I promise I won't hurt you. Please, let me in."

Artemis suddenly stood up inside his room. he stepped down off of his bed and walked, without knowing why, to the door and twisted the knob. The only thing that had stopped Butler when _he_ had tried to get in was a combination lock that even butler's formidable bulk couldn't break through. It made the door only open towards the outside and any attempts to force it open would result only in irritation and bruises.

The door opened and there he was, standing in a tattered grey suit with both sleeves missing and his left pant-leg was torn in half from the hem to Artemis's knee. His hair was greasy black and his blue and hazel eyes were wild with fear.

"Holly. At last. Come in."

He stepped back and Holly uncertainly stepped inside his completely pitch-black room. Artemis closed the door and Holly was instantly enveloped in the blackness. Suddenly, Artemis spoke.

"Some light, Captain?"

Holly blinked and suddenly a match light flared up it the darkness. Holly watched Artemis's face, illuminated by the match, and shuddered at the blank expression o his face. She watched him walk over to a candlestick and bent over it. Then he straightened up and walked back over to where Holly was sitting on his bed.

Holly looked into the light of the fire and noticed something. Artemis's first finger was touching the wick. The _lit_ wick.

"ARTEMIS!" She yelled, slapping his hand away from the flame and then grabbing it carefully to inspect his finger. Strangely, Artemis still had that blank look on his face.

"Don't worry Holly. It doesn't hurt. And if it did, well," He gave her a ghostly smile. "It's not even close to what I deserve."

But Holly wasn't listening. she was still holding his hand and blowing on his finger, which was red and blistering.

"Artemis, what _has_ gotten into you?" She asked, wrapping his finger in a piece of ripped fabric from his sheets.

"I'm just exacting the pain that I deserve. Better me than having you do it and feeling worse about it. Then I'd deserve even more pain!"

Holly was just staring at him now, trying to make sense of what he was saying.

"The finger and the candle was for when I caused you to lose your trigger finger. Pain caused, pain deserved. You know?"

Holly held his hand in her lap and said forcefully, "Artemis, you helped me get that trigger finger back! Don't you remember? You don't deserve any pain at all."

Artemis snorted. "One good action in a whirlwind of pain. Makes no difference. I still deserve getting shot and stabbed and kidnapped, for all the paint I caused you and the people during the Siege."

"Shot? Stabbed? Kidnapped I remember but who got shot and stabbed?" Holly asked without thinking.

"Butler got stabbed. Gored, more like. By the Troll. Remember? He got gored, and then you healed him, but it was my fault. I put him in danger because I didn't listen to you."

Artemis's eyes suddenly went glassy and he said in a voice that horribly reminded Holly of her own, "Fowl, you have no idea what you've done. This isn't over yet, Fowl. We have powers you can't possibly know about! It would take days to describe them all!"

Then he switched to a cold voice that was his own. "Three days. We've had you on the drip for over sixty hours. . . until you told us everything we needed to know."

He switched back to her voice. "Three days? You could've killed me! What kind of . . ." And then his eyes cleared.

"You see, Holly? I should've listened to you. Now it's my turn to pay for all the pain I've caused you, the fairy people, my family, and Butler. I got him shot, Holly. Twice. I took away years from him. I have to give something back."

Holly just stared at Artemis, horrified at what her friend had become. How had this happened? Artemis wasn't himself. Why? What had triggered this state of repentitiveness?

"Artemis, why? What's happened to you? Why-"

"Clarity." Artemis said quietly.

"Clarity?" Holly said incredulously.

"Yes Holly. Clarity. I understand now that the pain I caused must be repaid. It's just something I have to do."

Suddenly, he sounded and looked just like the old Artemis. He smiled at her and said gently, "I know this must be hard for you, Holly, so I think it better for you to leave and go back down to Haven, rather than watch this balancing of the scales."

"Balancing of the scales?" Holly sputtered. She grabbed both his hands and looked into his mismatched eyes, concern written all over her face. "Artemis, this is madness! You're not yourself." She let go of his hands and said soothingly, "You need to rest."

Artemis nodded. "Yes. I will rest. But I'm asking you, Holly, please leave my house. I must be true to my word and repay the dept that I now owe all of you. It will only put you in a state of anguish, so I must ask you to leave."

Holly shook her head in surprise. "Artemis-"

"I must Holly. Please, go now." He pulled his hands away from her and said, "It's the only way. Please."

Holly blinked. She realized that Artemis's mind was completely gone, and the only way to deal with that was to go along with it.

"Alright, Artemis. But please, don't kill yourself. I'll go back to Haven, only if you don't kill yourself."

In reality, she had no intention of leaving. She was going to figure out what was wrong with Artemis and how to help him if it killed her!

Artemis nodded in agreement. "I promise. Although, I can't help it of the dreams do."

"Dreams?" Holly was curious, in spite of herself.

"Yes. The nightmares that have plagued me for at least two weeks. They're all scenes from my childhood." Artemis sighed. "They're what began my realizations of clarity. I understand now that they were trying to teach me. Well, I am now ready to listen."

Holly nodded, her brain whirring with thoughts and ideas about how to help poor Artemis. "OK Artemis. I'm going now. But I'll be back I a day."

Artemis sighed again. "Very well. I understand that I can't stop you, but I want you to know that I'm sorry. I know it doesn't mean much, but I'm very sorry about what happened."

Holly gave him a quizzical look. "What happened when?"

"When I first met you. I kidnapped you, I lied to you, and I shot you full of tranquilizer." He sighed. "That is one of the first things I must repay."

Holly shook her head. "Artemis-"

"I'm done, Holly. I must ask you to leave for now. I won't be sleeping, just so you know, but I will try to rest my mind." He smiled. "What little of it is left."

Holly shook her head again and spoke in a mix of pity and worry. "Alright Artemis. I understand. Please," She reached for his hand and took it, rubbing it gently. "Please be safe."

Artemis nodded and Holly stood up and walked to the door. "I'll see you later Holly." Holly nodded.

"Be safe." She said again. And then she left.

As she closed the door, Artemis licked his fingers and pinched the candle flame out. "I wish it were that simple, Holly."


	5. Chapter 5: Here Comes The Doc

**J. Argon clinic; Haven City, the Lower Elements**

"Captain Short?"

Holly looked up from staring at her hands and a thin smile with barely any expression split her face.

"Oh, Doctor Argon. Thank the gods. I need your help."

Holly was sitting in the waiting room in the J. Argon Clinic. Artemis had been there before, when he'd been treated for Atlantis Complex. Doctor Argon had been writing another paper on Nopal, the Opal Koboi clone that currently resided in the clinic, when he'd received a page from the front desk. Holly Short was here, and she wanted to see him immediately.

"Holly. How nice to see you." Dr. Argon reached out to shake her hand but Holly was too impatient for politeness.

"I'm sorry, Doctor, but I just don't have the time. I need you to come with me, right now!"

Dr. Argon blinked. "Come with you? Where?"

Holly closed her eyes, thinking, gods give me patience. "Dr. Argon, There is someone about to kill himself on the surface, so I really don't have time to argue about where we're going. _Please!"_ She said, her eyes starting to tear up.

Doctor Argon blinked. "Kill himself? You mean Artemis? I didn't think he was suicidal."

Holly blinked back a few rebellious tears and said, with a hint of worry in her voice, "He's not in his right mind. Please, we have to go, before he does something terrible."

Doctor Argon nodded, his mind racing. Why had Artemis suddenly become suicidal? Was it an after-effect of Atlantis Complex? Or was it something new?

"Alright. Lead the way, Captain."

Holly pulled him out to her car and they sped off, heading towards the Shuttle Port. Foaly and Commander Root were waiting for her there.

XXXXXXXXX

They pulled into the shuttle-port, Holly got out and looked around. Foaly and Root were about twenty feet away, waiting for her. She waited for Argon to get out, then walked over to them. Root saw her first.

"Captain."

Foaly turned around and said, "Holly."

"Hey guys." Holly said shortly.

She gave the place a quick glance-over until she found the info desk and headed over there. Three minutes later she came back and handed the doctor a paper and an above-ground Visa for three weeks.

"Three _weeks_?" Argon said in surprise. "You think it'll take that long?"

Holly shook her head. "No. It might take _longer_. I don't think we'll be able to transport him to your clinic down here, so we'd better treat him above-ground."

The doctor blinked. "Wait, _above_ ground? I never agreed to this!"

Holly turned on him and the doctor immediately regretted his words.

"Let's get this straight, Argon: You can treat him above ground, I know you can. We can't bring him down here because of stupid police protocol," Here she gave Root a scathing look.

Root just growled, "You're pushing it already, Holly." Holly, to the Commander's eternal indignation, dismissed the Commander with a wave of her hand.

"None of that matters. What matters is, Artemis needs to be treated and fast. He's talking about _suicide!"_

The Commander and Foaly stared at her. Neither Root nor Foaly had been told of this. She'd only told them that Artemis was sick again and they needed Argon.

_"Suicide?"_ Foaly said hoarsely.

Holly nodded. "YES! So we need to get him treated now! Or else he'll do something terrible!"

Argon nodded. "Yes. Suicide. Good. Give me more facts. I need facts in order to determine a diagnosis."

Holly wasn't listening. She was still raging about Artemis. "We need to hurry! Foaly, get us a _damn_ shuttle! Commander, please clear the area." Neither Root nor Foaly argued.

Foaly, who disliked moving fast at all, clip-cloppingly ran over to the desk and asked for the fastest available shuttle and said that it was a national emergency. Root, however, took a more dignified approach. He walked through the throng of civilians until he made it to the absolute middle of the crowd, and then he unclipped a small cube from his belt and swallowed it. The clip was a mini microphone made out of polymer that was dissolved in an hour by saliva. Completely biodegradable.

"ALRIGHT CIVILIANS, LISTEN UP! WE HAVE. A NATIONAL EMERGENCY HERE. EVERYONE NEEDS TO SIT DOWN SOMEWHERE RIGHT NOW, SO THE OFFICERS OF THE LEP CAN HANDEL IT!"

Every single Gnome, Fairy, Pixie, Sprite, Dwarf, Elf and Goblin in the entire building heard, and every single Gnome, Fairy, Pixie, Sprite, Dwarf, Elf and Goblin in the entire building sat down at the exact same moment. Every Gnome, Fairy, Pixie, Sprite, Dwarf, Elf and Goblin in the entire building of course, besides a certain doctor, LEP retrieval Elf, and centaur.

They heard it alright; they just were too preoccupied with their tasks.

XXXXXXXX

Twenty minutes later, They were on a hotshot flare and riding towards E1 Tara shuttle-port, (which had been notified by the Haven Shuttle-port to expect them and to not, under any circumstances, obstruct them.) Doctor Argon was quizzing Holly on Artemis's behavior when she'd seen him.

"What did he look like?"

Holly sighed. It was hard enough, trying to fly the ship and block out the horrifying images of Artemis, but now the Doctor was asking her to re-account them in detail.

"Well, his hair was greasy, and his eyes were really wild and scared. his clothes were torn, and he looked terrible."

"Did he way anything to you?"

Holly shuddered. "Yes. he said some stuff about paying and balancing the scales. I didn't understand much of it, but I could tell he was feeling guilty about something."

Argon jotted down something in his notebook. "Yes. Guilt. interesting."

Holly clenched her fists. _Interesting? He was talking about suicide and that's all he can say is __**INTERESTING?!**_

_"Holly,"_ Root said gently, putting a hand on her shoulder. She looked back at him and sighed. her temper was getting the better of her. she took several deep breaths and said in a more calm voice, "Doctor Argon, unless you'd like to have your face smashed into a ton of rock at fifteen hundred miles an hour, please stop asking me questions and allow me to fly this shuttle!"

Argon, wisely, decided to shut his mouth and his notepad and wait until they landed in E1 before asking questions, which they did in an hour.

XXXXXXXXXX

When the shuttle landed in E1, Holly was out and over to the locker that held LEP equipment in a matter of minutes after the shuttle had been parked. she was kitted out with her gear and ready to go before Argon, Foaly, or Root were even out of the shuttle.

When the Commander got out, he surveyed Holly with a look of confusion. "No wings, Captain?"

She shook her head. "No. No wings. We got a ride."

The Commander cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. "A ride?"

Holly nodded. "Yeah. Butler's picking us up in half an hour."

This time it was Foaly who raised his eyebrow. _"Butler?" _

Argon's eyes widened. "Butler?"

He squeaked in a very undignified manner. Argon had first seen Butler on a video clip from the Fowl Manor Siege. He'd been so shaken afterward that he'd gone to bed early and promised himself that he would never set foot in Fowl Manor. Of course, he was only remembering this promise to himself now, when there was no going back.

"Half an hour?" Foaly asked. Holly nodded. "Where?"

"The tree." Holly said. Foaly and The Commander both nodded. Argon, however, didn't.

"Which tree?" He asked. None of them answered him. it was a painful thing for all of them to talk about, especially Holly.

"The tree" was what Holly had dubbed the place at Tara where Artemis and Butler had kidnapped her. She still went there, even though she could still feel the place in her shoulder where the hypodermic dart punctured her suit and hear Artemis's cold voice on the wind.

"Let's get up to the surface. We'll deal with the rest later." Holly said shortly. Argon, wisely, didn't pursue the matter and they were up and out before he dared speak again.


	6. Chapter 6: Arrival and Patience

** Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl.**

Butler was waiting for them at the tree. Of course, he saw them first, so when the fairies were about to make their presence known, Butler just gave one of his extremely rare smiles and said, "Hello Captain. Commander. Foaly."

They all exchanged bemused looks, (all except for Argon,) and said in turn, "Hello Butler."

"Hey big man."

"Hiya Butler."

Butler smiled again, this time in relief, as the fairies put down their shields. He squatted down so that Holly could give him a small hug, and then he peered at Argon.

"And this must be the good doctor. I've heard a lot about you, Doctor Argon. Holly said you're the best under the world."

"_And _above it." Argon said, without a trace of modesty.

Butler nodded. "Good. Let's hope so, for your sake."

Butler straightened up and Argon got a small shiver down his spine. Yep. There was no doubt about it. Butler was as scary on screen as he was in real life. Maybe even more so!

"Alright. Let's get going. The sooner we get to Fowl Manor, the sooner Artemis is back on his feet." Butler turned to his beloved Bentley and opened the door. "It's tinted glass, fairies, so you won't need your shields. Mirrored too," He said with a hint of nervousness.

One of the elements that had allowed Holly Short to be captured in the first place was the mirrored sunglasses that Butler and Artemis had worn to block the _Mesmer._

Holly patted him on the calf. "Don't worry, big man. That's all long past us."

Butler gave her the barest hint of a smile and nodded. He was glad. There was no one better to have on your side that the Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance squad, in any time of crisis.

Butler got behind the wheel and waited for the three fairies to get in. Root took shotgun, to Holly's annoyance, Holly was stuck with the right back seat, but Foaly was still standing outside with his arms folded across his chest, looking thoroughly annoyed at the car when the others had already buckled up.

"C'mon Foaly!" Root barked. "Fowl don't have much time left!"

Butler nearly growled, but then he thought better of it.

"In case you haven't noticed," Foaly said, clopping over to Butler's side of the car. "I can't get in! Quadrupeds are not. . . meant. . . to. . . go. . . in . . . **_cars!_**" He said this very slowly and clearly, as if he was talking to a group of five-year-olds, and finally shouted the last word like a bomb trigger.

Root was about to start shouting himself, then he realized the truth of his statement. "Uh, Butler? I hate to agree with the Pony-boy, but he's got a fair point. Unless he lays down in the back there with Holly,"

"Not bloody likely," Holly muttered. "I am _not_ spending this voyage with the centaur's rump _or_ face in my face."

Butler raised an eyebrow. "Are you suggesting we put him in the trunk? There _are_ air vents in there, so you'd be able to breath."

Foaly's eyes widened. "I sincerely hope you're joking. "

Butler lowered his eyebrow and his face shifted back to his stony expression. "Does it look like I'm joking to you?"

foaly's eyes drifted over to the Bentley's trunk and, for the first time, he noticed how large the trunk was. He also noticed that there were three holes in the lid of the trunk. Bullet holes?!

Butler saw the look on Foaly's face and couldn't help chuckling. "Relax, Foaly. Artemis had the back fitted out to transport anything. Just get Holly to push the seat back and there you go."

Foaly looked suspiciously at the seat until Holly rolled her eyes and pushed it back, revealing a hole in the back that connected it to the trunk. just enough room for a full-grown centaur to fit his pudgy belly in.

Foaly, with some help from Holly and Root's version of encouragement, (which was shouting,) Foaly maneuvered himself into the space and they set off, breaking every speeding law possible along the way.

XXXXXXXXXXX

They made it to Fowl Manor an half an hour. A record time for Butler. Butler parked the car and this time it was Dr. Argon who was out first. He was out of the car and into the house in twenty seconds flat. Holly was right behind him.

"How has he been?" Asked Holly when they ran into Angeline in the living room.

Angeline wasn't at all surprised to see Holly, the Commander, or even Foaly. She was surprised, however, to see Argon. Mostly because she'd never met him before.

"He's been the same. I've been trying to get him to let me in, but he won't talk to me except to say go away." Angeline mopped her eyes with her sleeve and blew her nose with a small lace handkerchief. "I keep hearing noises. Crashes, and then screaming and crying." Angeline's eyes closed and her tears started to flow freely. She had just enough control left to say through her tears, "Please, Dr. Argon. Please help my son, as you did before."

Doctor Argon coughed and said, "I will do my best, madam. It all depends on Artemis himself." He pulled out his notebook and said carefully, not wanting to upset Angeline more than she already was, "I'm going to need a bit more information on Artemis's behavior in the last few weeks." He glanced at Angeline and Holly and said, "I understand this might be hard, but-"

"No." Angeline said, mopping her eyes again. "No, it's alright. Standard Doctor procedure. I understand. Would you like to sit down?"

Argon nodded and sat down. "Yes, thank you."

Angeline sat down too and Holly excused herself.

"I'm going to go get something to drink." She said and headed towards the kitchen. Actually, she just wanted to avoid Argon's questions as much as she could.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Artemis's nightmares were getting stronger and more painful. The most recent one was when he'd shot his father in the Arctic.

Artemis could feel the cold creeping down his fingers. He could also feel a more powerful chill creeping down his spine. The chill of the plan in his head. The chill of saving his father, or damning him.

Artemis opened the phone and dialed the cell phone number of Micheal Vassikin, the Russian who'd taken his father and held him for ransom.

"What do you want? I'm busy."

"This is Artemis Fowl here."

Artemis waited while Vassikin told the other man beside him that it was him. "Fowl, how did you get this number?"

"I have a friend. He knows all the numbers."

The real Artemis shuddered at the coldness in his voice. Why was he such a monster?  
One simple answer: Because he was. He couldn't help it. Even when he was trying to do something decent, like rescue his parents, he'd nearly killed two people. Holly, and his own father.

"Do you have the money?"

"That depends. Do you have the package?"

"Right here."

Artemis the younger snorted. "All I see is a bald man, a fat imbecile, and someone with a bag over his head. I'm not paying five million dollars for your cousin Yury."

Artemis the elder sighed. This part wasn't so bad, but he knew worse would come.

"Alright. Get ready Fowl; the next face you see will be your fathers."

A few seconds, then Butler fired. The bullet, which was made of frozen blood, (Artemis's own blood, to be precise,) penetrated exactly where Butler had predicted it would. the only thing he hadn't predicted was when the Russian had thrown Artemis Fowl the first in the Bay of Kola.

But the dream didn't stop there. Oh no. Artemis felt his father's pain coursing through his body. He felt the ice-cold water, he felt the stinging of his frostbitten leg and fingers, and he felt the numbness that his father had felt as he'd nearly slipped away, into unconsciousness. He also felt the jolt of pain when holly Short grabbed him around the middle and started pulling him upward. His father had felt a spark of hope then and there was one thought coursing through his mind:_ Angeline. _

The dream shifted and changed then, but before Artemis could feel relieved, he realized that it had changed to something worse! It had changed to when he'd let Butler get shot.

He felt cold panic running through his mind as he frantically looked around the fish bistro for something to stop time. He found the fish freezer, shoved Butler into it, and then run away. He'd run away while his only friend at the time was dead. What kind of monster was he?!

"A new kind." Artemis muttered, puling the shredded sheets up and over his face in an attempt to shield himself from the dreams. "The worst kind of monster since time began."


	7. Chapter 7: Bad Symptoms

**Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl**

* * *

**Fowl Manor; Dublin, Ireland**

Holly knew that she shouldn't be doing this, but she felt that she needed to find out what Artemis was doing and whither he was alright.

She sneaked up the stairs and once she got to the landing where his room was, she heard the same noises that she'd heard the first time she'd gone up to see him. Screams, crying, and crashes.

Artemis_ was_ having another fit. This time he was throwing his chair across the room.

She approached the door cautiously and said, "Artemis?" she tapped the door with her finger.

Artemis froze in mid-sob, staring at the door. "Holly?"

"Yes, Artemis. It's me. Please let me in." Holly listened carefully for a response.

Artemis couldn't. "I c- cant." He said.

Holly softened her tone and said, "Please, Artemis?"

He knew he shouldn't, but he felt lost without her and suddenly he sprang from his bed and over to the door, flung it open, and stood there, staring at Holly.

Holly stared back, completely stunned. His face was scarred with red scratches and his clothes were still torn and his hair looked even more greasy. They locked eyes and Holly nearly looked away as she saw the pain in them. It was nearly too much for her to bear and obviously too much for Artemis, or else he wouldn't be acting the way he was.

Artemis stared at her for another minute, then did something totally unexpected. He dropped to his knees, flung his arms around Holly and started sobbing uncontrollably.

Holly just stood there, frozen. She'd never seen Artemis cry. Not once, and now his tears were creating Niagara Falls down her back. She had no idea what to do. Should she call for Butler, or should she just try to comfort the poor, sad mud boy crying on her shoulder?

It was just then that Artemis started to speak.

"Holly. Oh god, holly I'm so glad you're here. I need your help."

Holly blinked. Her help? What could he possibly need from her?

"I can't stay here, Holly. I need to leave. Butler, Mother, they don't understand. I need to get out of here!"

Holly took the risk of patting him on the shoulder. "Artemis, I want you to listen to me," She said soothingly. "You're very sick, and we want to help you get better."

Artemis clutched her tighter. "No, Holly. I know I'm sick, but I can't stay here!"

Holly patted him again and as she did, she heard the sound of footsteps. They were coming upstairs, presumably because they heard a noise.

"Artemis," She said urgently. She knew how it would look if they were discovered like this and the Commander would most likely blow a gasket! "Artemis, you need to let me got. They're coming."

Artemis pulled away from her shoulder, tears still streaming down his face and now his eyes were wide with fear again.

"What?! No, I can't let them see me like this!" Before Holly could react, he grabbed her hand and pulled her through the door and into his bedroom. there wasn't much she could to about it anyway. She was a good two feet shorted than him and he was in a mad, wild state.

Artemis was terrified. He couldn't let his mother see him like this, nor Butler. He had to stay alone. Except for Holly.

He locked the door and then slowly turned to Holly, who was very much afraid.

"Artemis?" She asked gently. "Listen, I know you're afraid, but I'm here to help. There's nothing to fear while I'm around."

Artemis shook his head. "No, Holly. There is something to fear. Me."

Holly's eyes widened.

"I'm a monster, just like you told me. It's true. I understand that now."

Artemis was about to say something more when he suddenly froze, staring at Holly. Holly stared back, watching in horror at the transformation happening to his face. His eyes were turning black, and his face was milky-white. Completely void of color.

"Artemis," She said in a terrified whisper. "We really need to get you to a doctor. Please! You're sick!"

Artemis's black eyes narrowed. "Sick? Doctor? Of course, you brought that half-wit fairy doctor Argon to try and 'cure' me. Well, I've got news for you Holly," He advanced toward her. "I'm not going to be shut up in a cage for a stupid fairy documentation!" He grabbed the nearest thing, which was a chair, and hurled it at Holly. Holly ducked, wishing she had her Neutrino.

"Artemis, listen to me! It's the illness talking. Look at me!"

Artemis came closer and grabbed her arm. "I'm not going to end up a monster, Holly. Too late for that."

The pressure he enforced around her arm got tighter and tighter and Holy saw the tips of her fingers begin to bruise up. "Stop it, Artemis! You're hurting me!" But Artemis didn't let go. he just held on grimly. Holly tried to force his fingers apart, but his grip was like iron.

"Artemis!" She pleaded. She was truly helpless against this crazy mud boy. "Artemis please let me go!"

Artemis shook his head. "I can't, Holly. I-" But he was interrupted by a sound like a Bull Troll getting ready to charge.

_Butler! They're on the landing! _They were, and ten seconds later something with weight equivalent to an African Elephant charged the door. Namely, Butler. The bodyguard rammed with all his might, but the door held firm. He backed up and rammed it again, this time narrowing the blow to a specific area.

Holly and Artemis both looked at the door as the dent got slightly bigger. Holly knew this was her chance to get away and with her free hand she slapped Artemis across the face with all her might. It flung him across the room and instantly Holly scrambled up and over to him. He was breathing. Barely.

Holly was at his side in a second. She held his head in her hands, even though she knew she should be getting Argon, but she couldn't bring herself to leave him. As if he had read her thoughts, suddenly, his eyes flew open and he grabbed her arm again.

He tried to talk, but a strange black ooze started flowing out of his mouth and when he tried to take a breath, he inhaled and started to choke.

"Artemis, try to fight it! I won't leave you." Holly said, tilting his head up to try and speed up the flow of black liquid. She looked at his face and then suddenly noticed that as the black liquid drained out of his mouth, so did the black in his eyes.

"Dammit Fowl, fight it!" She said, trying to push him up into a sitting position. He was like a wet rag doll.

Eventually she stopped trying and let him sink back down to the floor where he lay, crying softly. She stood up and after stroking his white cheek once, she headed over to the door and reached for the doorknob.

They were all there on the other side. Angeline and Butler at the front, and Foaly, the Commander and Argon behind them. When Holly opened the door, they were so shocked they could barely speak. Angeline finally broke the silence when she asked, "What happened?"

Holly looked down at her hands, which were slimy with black ooze. "I slapped him." She said quietly.

Angeline blinked. "You _slapped_ him?"

Holly looked at her boots. "I had to. He flew a few feet, but he's alive." She looked up, avoiding Angeline's gaze, and glanced at the three fairies. "Argon, I need you to get in there and tranquilize him. Now." She turned to Root. "Commander, as of now we are taking Artemis to Argon's clinic. Be damn the rules! Artemis is sick, but I can't tell if it's magical, psychological, or a human malady. It might be all three, and then some. We _have_ to get him quarantined."

Root nodded. He saw the expression on her face and he knew it meant one thing: You could argue with a captain, but _not_ a determined Elf.


	8. Chapter 8: An Unexpected Visitor

**Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl. A brilliant man in Ireland does, though.  
**

* * *

** The J. Argon Clinic; Haven City, the Lower Elements**

Artemis had been undergoing treatment for over thirteen hours and still there was not a flicker of life besides his labored breathing. Holly had been at his side for ten of those thirteen hours. she wouldn't have left his side if not for Root ordering her to go get a few hours sleep, which she tried and couldn't. Her mind was too confused to sleep.

She was confused about a lot of thing but mainly, why had Artemis singled her out? He hadn't talked to anyone in a week, and then she'd waltzed in and they spent at least an hour or more together. OK, so most of that was him crying or getting hurt or babbling, but that was something at least.

Holly shuddered as she sat in one of the clinic's plastic chairs with her head in her hands. Poor Artemis. Poor, poor Artemis.

She lifted her head and looked at the sleeping mud boy. What had he done to deserve all this? Sure, kidnapping and extortion, he'd done that, but he'd never killed anyone!

_Yes, he has. _Her subconscious said as she recalled what he'd said about Butler.

"_I allowed him to get shot, Holly." _His voice echoed in her head, cold and distant.

"You didn't, Artemis," she whispered into his ear. "You didn't! You gave him a chance at life again!"

_No, _her subconscious said again._ That was me. I gave him life with my magic. _

_"Shut up!" _She said to her subconscious. "Artemis, you need to get better. You need to wake up and you need to get better or I swear to the gods, I'm going to send your entire cache of gold to Amnesty International!"

No reaction. Holly picked up the mud boy's hand, almost a mud _man_, now, and rubbed it gently. "Artemis, please. I will forgive you for everything you've ever done to me and the People, if you just wake up!"

She closed her eyes and started to sob quietly. How was he going to make it? _Was_ he going to make it?

She was so busy thinking that she almost missed it when his hand moved. His hand tightened his grip on hers and she heard a voice say very quietly, "Holly?"

Holly blinked and looked up to see Artemis's eyes cracked partly open, and he was smiling at her with a most un-Artemis-like smile.

"Artemis?" She asked, stroking his forehead.

Artemis shook his head. "No, Fair Maiden. Not this time."

Holly was so shocked that she pulled away, sprang to her feet, and stared at Artemis or rather, the personality occupying his body: Orion.

"Orion?" She whispered through her fingers. Her eyes were wide with a mix of fear and surprise and as she stared at him, she noticed he was smiling.

"Yes, 'tis me, fair Holly. Your knight in shining armor had returned." Then he made a spluttery laugh. "'Knight in shining armor.' Ha! I can't believe I was so sappy."

Holly raised an eyebrow. "Orion? Is that really you?"

Orion tried to sit up, but Artemis's arms couldn't support weight yet, so he just slid back down onto the pillows and lay there smiling. "Who else would I be?"

Holly slowly stepped closer and Orion rolled his eyes. "Honestly Holly, I'm not going to bite. Sit down. There are a few thing I have got to tell you."

Holly slowly came closer and sat down. "How did you get, ah,"

"Out?" Orion smiled again. It was unnerving to see a smile on the face that had been so full of pain fifteen hours ago. "That slap you gave Artemis was pretty powerful. You remember last time?"

Holly nodded. The last- and first -time Orion had made himself known, it had been because of Artemis getting a huge electrical shock. That, coupled with the Atlantis Complex he'd been dealing with at the time, had given birth to Orion, the alter-ego of Artemis. Orion was happy and sappy while Artemis was moody and serious. Orion was completely in love with Holly and he wasn't afraid to admit it, whereas Artemis hadn't apparently decided one way of the other.

"So, that was what set you-" she stopped, wondering if Orion was a little angry about that. The last time they'd seen him, they'd also gotten Artemis back by tricking Orion and forcing him back into Artemis's subconscious.

"Free? Not quite. And you don't have to be ashamed of what you did, Holly. I understand. I was a bit of a prat then." He smiled again. "At least I've gotten over that whole, 'Fair Maiden' thing. I'm still working on it when I get scared or nervous, but hey, no one's perfect. Artemis certainly isn't."

He gave Holly a knowing look and said, "But you already know that, don't you? If he _were_ perfect, he'd be an Elf and you guys would've been married years ago. And then yours truly wouldn't exist at all!"

Holly blinked. This wasn't like the Orion she'd met before. That Orion had been outspoken and lovesick with her. This one still seemed to have a thing for her, but at least he could control himself.

Orion caught the expression on her face and nodded. "I know. It's a bit hard to deal with at first, but it's better than all those 'Fair Maidens' and 'Noble Steeds', eh?"

Holly nearly smirked. Noble Steed was what Orion had called Foaly when they were stuck in a pod together, under the ice.

"There, I knew I could bring out a smile." Orion reached out a hand and Holly involuntarily stepped back. She was still partially seeing the crazy Artemis from a few hours ago.

Orion's smile faltered. "Holly, don't worry. I can control myself now. I'm not like Artemis."

Holly nearly said "Definitely not," but she thought that might insult and/or anger Orion, so she just nodded and said, "Of course. I'm sorry."

Orion closed his eyes for a few seconds and said gently, "You're still seeing Artemis, Aren't you?"

Holly nodded. "Yes."

Orion reached out again and this time, Holly didn't shirk away. "I'm not him, Holly. And Artemis wasn't Artemis then, either. He was sick, and he wants you to know that. He also wants you to know that he's staying in here until he gets better."

Holly looked up. "You're talking to him? Is he OK?"

Orion shook his head. "It's fuzzy, but yes, I can see him. But no, he's not alright. He's not even close. . ." Orion trailed off. His eyes were focused on Holly's face, but his eyes were glassy. "He says he doesn't know what it is that's making him act this way, but he does know that he feels guilty about- No! Artemis, C'mon! Keep talking to me! No, he's gone."

Orion's eyes cleared and turned back to their normal blue and hazel. His expression was one of- sadness? No, pity.

"I'm sorry, Holly. I know how hard this is for you."

Holly nodded and then asked, "So how did you get free?"

Orion smiled. "Well, the slap was part of it, but mostly it was Artemis's own willpower. Somewhere, deep inside him mind, he knew he was hurting you, and he wanted it to stop. But, he also knew that the only way to make himself stop was to bring me out. He took a big risk, but I'm glad he did." Orion closed his eyes again and said, "I've been watching everything since Artemis's craziness has made itself known and I can tell you, I can understand why Artemis went mad. His nightmares were- well, if I tell you about them _you'll_ get nightmares."

Holly nodded. Artemis had mentioned nightmares. They seemed to distress him more than _she_ had when she'd first seen him during his crazy phase.

"I mean, I know I have to tell that doctor, Argon, to help Artemis get better, but I can't tell you. I'm sorry."

Holly looked at Orion sadly. "Orion, I want to help you both get-"

"Oh, it's not me that's sick. I mean, I'm not exhibiting any of Artemis's symptoms and, well, I'm not suicidal." He chuckled, then felt sick with himself. "Oh god, Holly I'm sorry. My mouth is on autopilot."

Holly shook her head. "It's OK, Orion." She patted him gently on the shoulder and said, "Really. It's OK."

Orion sighed and said sadly, "No, Holly. We're a long way from OK."


	9. Chapter 9: Talking to Figaments

**Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl**

* * *

**J. Argon Clinic; Haven City, The Lower Elements. **

Holly had waited about an hour before telling Argon about their unexpected visitor. She felt that, after witnessing all of Artemis's horrible nightmares and talking to her, he deserved a bit of a break.

Orion was perfectly fine with that and when they did tell him, Argon was ecstatic. He was interested in the fact that it was Orion that was back and not Artemis, but he kept that to himself. And soon, Orion was up and walking about and talking to the others, almost like the real Artemis, but then knew he wasn't. And he knew they knew he wasn't too. He could see it in their eyes when they talked to him and as a result, he spent half of his time since he'd gotten out wishing he could go back in. He hated it! He hated the way Holly looked at him most of all, though. when she looked at him, he could tell she was still seeing the crazy Artemis.

Now, Orion was in Argon's office, answering questions.

"Does Artemis have any idea what the disease might be?" The Dr. asked, his pencil poised.

Orion shrugged. "I don't know. He and I share the same memories, but not the same thoughts."

"Ah." Argon jotted something down his notebook and said, "Any reason in particular that Artemis won;t come out? Something to do with the incident at Fowl Manor and a certain Female Recon Captain?"

Orion smiled Artemis's vampire smile. "You are sharper that Artemis gives you credit for, Doctor. Artemis is probably going to murder me if he find out I snitched, if he's even alive or coherent enough to understand me, but yes. That's part of the reason."

Argon jotted a quick note. _Dead? Coherant? _And then he blinked, remembering what else Orion had said. "Part of it? Really? What's the rest?"

Orion shifted uncomfortably in his extremely comfortable seat. "Well, I'm sorry Doctor, but that is between me, Artemis and one more person." He looked up and gave another vampire smile that sent goosebumps crackling up and down Argon;s arms and a tingle down his spine. "And they delight in not talking."

XXXXXXXXXX

Orion stayed with Argon for about ten more minutes, then he headed back to his room where he found Holly. She was sitting on his bed with her head in her hands. She wasn't asleep, and she wasn't crying, so he carefully approached her. She didn't move until he tapped her on the shoulder and whispered, "Holly."  
Then she sprang up, grabbed his arm and twisted it, making Orion drop to his knees, then she flipped him over her back and he landed face down in the Clinic carpet, with Holly on top of him.

It took Holly ten seconds to realize that it was just Orion and when she did, she jumped off of him so fast it looked like she'd been bitten by something and she just stood there, blushing profusely.

Orion just lay there, smiling sheepishly up at her. "That was very good, Holly."

Holly's face blushed even brighter and she quickly extended her hand, taking hold of his, pulling him up, and letting go of it just as quickly. "I'm sorry, Orion. I guess I'm a bit on edge at the moment."

Orion stood up, brushed himself off and said, "Don't worry about it, Holly. I completely understand." He and Holly stood, facing each other awkwardly for about a minute, then Holly broke the silence.

"Orion, I'm really sorry about that. I've been really jumpy lately."

Orion raised an eyebrow. "By _lately, _do you mean since the last time you saw Artemis?"

Holly's cheeks blushed bright red and Orion sighed sadly. He still retained an sense of duty towards Holly, and he still felt a large amount of affection towards Holly as well. Almost as much as Artemis. Yes, Artemis _did _have feelings for Holly, no matter _how_ much he refused to admit it.

"Holly," He said, putting both of his hands on her shoulders.

Holly jerked away and immediately Orion felt bad. He remember a second later that Artemis had used the same move on her while in his maddened state. He'd seen the fear in her eyes and yet, until Artemis had allowed it, he hadn't even attempted to intervene on Holly's behalf. He felt sick with himself.

"I'm so sorry, Holly. I didn't think."

Holly shook herself to get over her fear, and then she said in a slightly shaky voice, "It's alright, Orion. OK, maybe I understated my jitteriness."

Orion sighed again and said, "Holly, You have nothing to fear from me. I give you my word. I want to help Artemis get better as much as you do!"

Holly looked up and said, "But if he gets better, won't you go back inside his head?" She said it without thinking and instantly, she wished she hadn't.

Strangely, Orion didn't seem too bothered by her question. "Yep. I'll go back to my one-room apartment with nothing to do and nobody to talk to. Well, that's the life of a fictitious alter-ego. You get what you get."

Holly blinked. How was he so calm about this?

As if he'd read her mind, he smiled and said, "Holly, I've known from the instant I was created that there would come a day when I would be gone. Not in my room in Artemis's head, gone, but gone. Completely. I'll still be there, doing my part as Artemis's very, very, _very _small compassionate side, but I won't have a consciousness. the best I can hope for is to be able to meld completely back with Artemis so that he can be cured of his Atlantis complex once and for all."

Holly just stared at him, wondering if he really felt that way. Did he really not care if he disappeared into oblivion, or wherever alter-egos who've been cured go? Or was this just another stupid trick?

Orion sat down on his bed and patted the seat next to him. Holly eyed him carefully and, after about half a minute, she carefully sat down beside him. After she'd sat down, Orion laced his fingers together and said, "I'm very sorry about what's happen ing to Artemis and I will try to help you in any way that I can, but there is something you must do for me, Holly."

Holly looked up. "What is is?"

"I need you to _stop blaming yourself!" _

Holly looked up. "Stop-"

"Blaming yourself, yes. I can see it in your eyes, Holly. You blame yourself, for what I don't know, but you do blame yourself. I'm going to hazard a guess that it's got something to do with Artemis's condition."

Holly nodded. Her eyes were starting to tear up and she wiped them away furiously. "I don't blame myself! He blames me!"

Orion's eyes widened slightly. "What do you mean?"

"He said. . . he said-" Holly hiccuped and her tears started to flow freely now. "He said, when we were back in Fowl Manor, when I first asked him to come in, he said I would hurt him."

Orion frowned. "So _that's _what he said to you."

Holly looked up at him and asked, "What do you mean?"

Orion was rubbing his temple gently with his right hand. "I wasn't exactly watching the whole exchange between you two the first time. Honestly, I was barely paying attention. I mean, I knew he was sick; I could feel it, but I wasn't aware of how bad it was until you left."

Holly blinked again. "But, I thought you two shared memories."

Orion nodded. "We do. But, on occasion, I prefer to omit certain memories. I mean, they're still my memories, but I have the ability to kind of nullify memories I find too disturbing. That's how I get through living in Artemis's head; both Artemis and I have phenomenal memory, including all of his more distasteful memories, like the one where he believes he caused you to lose your trigger finger, or when he caused Butler to get shot. I think it's actually things like this that have partially caused whatever disease he has. I did figure out, however, that Artemis was suffering from severe depression."

Holly gave him a look. "Gee, you think? He hadn't left his room for a week!"

"And a half." Orion added. "He rigged some speakers downstairs to make it sound like he was down there. That was when he still had his wits."

Holly snorted. "Same old Artemis Fowl."

Orion looked at her seriously. "He won't be after this, Holly. Honestly, I don't think _any _of us will be."


	10. Chapter 10: More Talking to Figaments

**Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl**

* * *

Artemis could feel the walls closing in around him. He felt his hands shaking and wrapped his arms around himself to try to calm himself, but he couldn't. He knew, also, that it didn't have any effect on the dreams, but he did it anyway. He just felt so cold.

The room he was in, if he was in a room at all, was completely black. There was not a millimeter of light in the room. Artemis was laying on a huge black bed, with sheets that were torn and sweaty. There were no blankets, because the room felt like a stove left on five-fifty. But no matter how hot if felt to him, he still felt cold shivers going up and down his spine.

After a few minutes, he let himself go and stared around his room. Even though it was black at pitch, he could see almost everything in perfect perception. There was a chair beside the door, a few posters, and a very large book case. He stood up and walked over to them, running his fingers along their spines. They were all books he owned, read, or written.

He picked one up and opened it. It was a book he'd read as a ten-year-old. It was titled _Welsh's Guide to the Psyche and Paranormal. _Then he remembered. This was one of the books his mother had picked up when she'd had one of her tantrums in the library. She'd ripped a great many books, most of them were here, and had thrown several at the walls and one at Artemis!

Suddenly, the book flipped open in his hands. A picture appeared. A video, actually. It was a video recording of that same memory. His mother came in, screaming something awful and started destroying things left and right until Butler had managed to jab her with a sleeping serum. It was so horrible that he flung the book across the room and just before it hit the wall, it slid down and reappeared in it's place on the bookcase. He groaned and kicked the wall in frustration. Why was he stuck in here! Why couldn't he get out?! Who was he?

That last question made him stagger slightly. He didn't remember who he was? No, he did! He was Artemis Fowl the second, murderer extraordinaire. He clenched his fists and teeth to stop from crying. He clenched them so hard that they began cutting into his skin and eventually drawing blood.

When he realized what he was doing, Artemis unclenched his fists and wiped them on his torn trousers. They left a very thick smear of blood.

He looked around. _I have to get out of here. _Again, as if his thoughts controlled the world around him, the door flew open and Artemis bolted._  
_

He ran and ran until he couldn't run any more, but the hallway that had led from his door just kept getting longer and longer and when he glanced back, he saw that he was still in front of his door. He kicked his door in frustration and yelled, "LET ME OUT!"

For the third time, something happened after he'd expressed wanting it to happen. He stared at the small black door that had appeared right in front of him and threw himself through it, wishing he could find his way out of this madness!

On the other side of the door, there was-

"Another door."

This time, the door was a deep shade of brown.

_Hazel. _Artemis thought. He reached for the doorknob and it turned, slowly in his hand. The door opened without him touching it and he stepped inside.

The room he entered was also Hazel-colored but the furniture, of which there was not much, was a deep shade of blue. It reminded Artemis of his and Holly's eyes.

_Holly._

Artemis knew who's room this was. It was Orion's. The brown matched Holly's eye perfectly. But, knowing how taken he was with Holly, he was incredibly surprised there wasn't more.

Orion had tastes much like himself. Plain, secure, and careful. Of course, there was no real need to be careful when you were living in your own head! His bed was small and the only other furniture in the room was a small desk, a chair, and a bookcase that reached the ceiling.

Artemis walked over to the desk and surveyed the things on top of it. There was a can of pens, a can of pencils, a notebook, a pad of blank paper, a very small book of poems, and a very strange object.

Artemis knew it was a miniature statuette of a woman and a dog. The statue was made of silver and it was extremely well-made. The woman also had a bow and wore a circlet around her hair.

Artemis knew then, that this was a statuette of his name-sake, Artemis the Greek goddess.

"Why would Orion keep this in his room?" he asked aloud, picking the statuette up and scrutinizing it carefully.

Her face looked oddly familiar to Artemis. He raised the statuette to his face and looked carefully. Then it hit him.

"It's Holly!" He said in disbelief. The statuette indeed had Holly's face. "Now what in the world-" he started to say, and then he realized it. Orion was just a love-sick fool who, if he couldn't have the real thing, had decided to make an extremely unrealistic and exaggerated statuette with the "love of his life's" face on it.

Artemis put the statuette down in disgust. _Or, _his incredibly small and inexperienced conscience said, _h__e's probably missing Holly. I mean, really missing her. Not the love-sick lusting you attribute to him. He's most likely wishing he had friends like you have. If you have any friends after this. _

"Shut up." Artemis muttered.

He tried to ignore the voice in his head, (which was ironic, considering he _was _in his head,) and started rifling through the drawers in the desk. Snooping was a Fowl family attribute.

There was nothing interesting in the first two drawers; just more papers and a few notebooks, but when he opened the third drawer on the right side, it caused him to jump away in fright.

"Lollypops!" He said in a frightened whisper.

They were indeed, lollypops. The drawer was full of them! Big ones, small ones, lollypops of many different brands, flavors, shades and colors.

"Alright, this is stranger than the statuette." He said, staring down at the drawer. Why would Orion have lollypops in his desk? For that matter, why would _anyone _have lollypops in their desk?

He slid the drawer quickly closed and frowned. Was this Orion's idea of a joke? If it was, it was pretty pathetic.

He reached for the fourth drawer and was surprised to find it locked. He tried to pull it open. It wouldn't budge. He looked around for a key. Nothing. He tried to force it open. It still remained closed. He swore.

"Bah. Probably more lollypops."

He turned away from the desk and caught site of the Artemis statuette again. It looked so much like Holly, it was mildly disturbing.

He picked up the statuette again and looked at it. It seemed to be saying something to him with her expression. Something, but what?

His attention turned to the notebooks in the second drawer. They were plain black leather, and they were filled.

"They must be diaries or something," Artemis said while he inspected the notebooks. They were in a very familiar handwriting.

"Mine." He realized. "Or Orion's."

He flipped to the front few pages, which were filled with lovey-dovey mush about Holly. He nearly vomited. The same was throughout the notebook and two others. When he picked up the fourth one and started to read it, he noticed that Orion's blether about Holly was getting much less. Instead, he posed questions to himself. In one entry, Orion wrote:

_Where will I do once Artemis is completely cured of Atlantis Complex? I mean, I know what will happen to him. He'll go back to his criminal life and forget all about what happened to him. I think that when he reaches eighteen, he won't ever remember me! Where will I go? Where do any alter-egos go once they've been. . . I don't know; exorcised? Purged? Rusticated? Any way, it means I'll be gone. I hope he's happy._

_There you go, s_aid his conscience. _Orion wants nothing more than to be remembered. Can't you do anything for him?_

"I wish I COULD!" Artemis yelled, dropping the book onto the table and clutching his head. "I wish I could fix everything I've ever messed up! I wish everyone that had been hurt by me would give me the same amount of pain back! I wish that I had never met the fairies!"

"Now, Artemis, that's what got you into this."

Artemis whirled around. "Orion!"

There he was, standing there with his arms crossed.  
"Well, glad to see you're not screaming and spewing black ooze."

Artemis sighed. "Sorry about coming in here, Orion. I just had to get out of my room."

"I understand. Actually, I was kind of hoping that you would come here. I've been meaning to tell you, I'm not the sappy lover-boy anymore."

Artemis raised his eyebrows. "I noticed." He smiled, for real this time, and said, "Honestly when I first figured out it was your room, I expected Holly Short action figures and wallpaper."

Orion laughed. "Yeesh, Artemis! Do you underestimate _everyone_?"

Artemis snorted. "I _over_estimate everyone, Orion. That's why I'm still alive."

Orion nodded. "Fair point," He conceded.

The two just stood there for a few minutes, then Orion broke the silence. "So, have you been watching?"

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Watching?"

Orion nodded. "Yes. The screen in the lounge."

Artemis's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "There's a _lounge?! _And here I've been, sneaking around _your _room for an hour." He looked at the diamond Rolex on his wrist and said, "Or however long it's been."

Orion smiled. 'C'mon. I'll take you."

And together they set off with Orion leading the way.

They ended up in a small room with a giant screen on one end and a table with two chairs at the other.

"Now, before you see what's been going on, I think you should sit down and let me explain a few things."

Artemis nodded and took a seat. Orion did the same and they sat there for what felt like a long time while Artemis twiddled him thumbs, (metaphorically. He would never be caught dead doing something so juvenile.)

"You know," Orion said after giving Artemis a long look. "I find it interesting that you're completely calm in here."

Artemis nodded. He'd noticed that too. his feelings of self-blame were somewhat lessened than they'd been when he'd been him. In here, he still felt a slight case of claustrophobia, but that wasn't so bad once he'd gotten out of his room.

"I've noticed that too. It's like this place nullifies whatever disease I've got. Hey, any theories about that?"

Orion shrugged. "Well, now that you're coherent, I'd like to ask you the same thing. I've watched you since this thing started, so I've had a chance to observe your symptoms. They don't add up to anything you've ever come across. At first, I thought it was a fairy disease coupled with severe depression, then I thought it was dementia, and after yesterday I even thought it might be Yellow Fever! But nothing adds up! I've also been talking to Argon and he thinks it's some kind of compound disease, because of all the random symptoms. Honestly Artemis, I have no clue."

Artemis thought about it. "A compound disease. That might explain it, but I've had so many symptoms that it must be a compound of a hundred diseases or more! there might be some fairy illnesses at work as well. I have no idea."

Artemis sighed. Fairy disease. That was what had started this awful nightmare. He looked up at Orion. "Well, what was it you wanted to show me?"

Orion picked up a remote that had appeared out of nowhere and flipped through the channels on the giant TV. Artemis saw a bunch of shows flip past in a blur.

"We get cable in here?" He asked curiously.

Orion laughed. "Basic cable, yes. Only a hundred and forty-five channels. Most of them are educational."

Artemis saw another channel flip by. This one was of a man with an Italian accent in a baker's uniform yelling at a woman over cupcakes. "'Cake Boss' is considered educational?" He asked sceptically.

Orion laughed. "There's the Artemis we all know and love! I was getting worried for a while when you didn't pass a snarky comment."

Finally, Orion found the channel he was looking for and pressed play. The video that he played was one Artemis instantly recognized. The video was of when Holly had first come to the manor since his disease had set in. "No, Orion please, not that!"

Orion put his hand on Artemis's shoulder and said, "Artemis, listen, facing these things is part of your treatment! Please, just try! I know it was painful for you. It was painful for me too. I watched all this while it happened. I could feel the pain you were feeling. Now I need you do watch this and tell me honestly that it wasn't you who did this."

"BUT IT WAS!" Artemis burst out, flinging himself away from Orion and down onto the floor. His knees collided with the floor and even though, in his heart, he knew that he was in a fictitious place created in the back of his mind, his neurons still sent pain signals to his brain, which interpreted those into screams. "It WAS me. I hurt, Holly, more times than I can count, and I killed Butler twice, involving him in my hair-brained schemes!"

He was laying flat of the floor now, clinging to the soft carpet and sobbing. "It IS my fault, because I engineered all the stupid deals and adventures that caused all this mayhem and pain!"

Orion just stood there, waiting for him to cry himself out. When he finally did, Orion bent down to him and whispered in his ear, "You know, you're right."

Artemis turned his head to look at him. "What?" He croaked.

"You heard me!" Orion said, moving away from him. "You're right. You are to blame, but not for causing pain." He stood up and turned away from him. "You're to blame for healing the pain."

Artemis lifted his head up from the shaggy carpet and said, "I don't understand."

Orion turned back sharply and said, "Don't you? The great Artemis Fowl, reduced to a blubbering mass of skin and bones."

"It's not my FAULT!" Artemis yelled, punching the ground.

Orion glared at him. "Yes, it it! You've just spent at least twenty minutes sobbing about how it was all your fault and you caused all this!"

Artemis just glared back through his tears.

"That's your problem, Artemis! You think that, just because something bad happened, that's it. Another bad added to the list. What about all the good you've done? You saved your mother, your father, Holly, Butler and the entire world numerous times! Doesn't that count for something?!"

Artemis glared. "All of that, every bit, was done for my own personal gain! I saved Mother because Child Services was already looking into my case, I saved Holly because our mission in the arctic would've been sunk without her and then I wouldn't have been able to rescue my father, I saved Butler because good bodyguards are so hard to come by, and the entire world, well, that was just a bonus."

Orion looked down at the boy on the floor and said, "Bull, Artemis. Yes, all those were legitimate reasons, but you forgot one; Your father. Why did you save him?"

Artemis sighed. "I saved him because- well, because the Fowl empire would've crumbled without him, and mother might've gone back into her depression."

Orion surveyed the boy with distaste. "You really think that, don't you?"

Artemis nodded, trying to get up. As he shakily got to his feet he said, "Well, why do you think I did it?"

Orion faked a look of surprise. "Oh, you want my opinion now? Why did you really save them? Let's see, you saved your mother because you love her, you saved your father for the same reason, you saved Holly and her finger because she was helping you, you saved Butler, twice, from dying because he was the only friend you had before you met the fairies, and you saved the entire world because, well, you said it yourself; That was just a bonus."

Artemis looked up at Orion as he slid himself shakily into his chair. "You really believe I'm someone worth saving, don't you?"

Orion nodded. "Yes, I do. And Holly does too." With that, he pressed play and Artemis watched everything that had happened since he'd retreated into the deepest confines of him mind.


	11. Chapter 11: All I Can Say Is, Bad

******Very sorry for the delays, dear readers. I've been extremely busy concerning school. Hope you liked the extra-long chapter to make up for it. I'll update The Mystery in the Mulch as soon as I can as well! Merry reading, and happy reviewing.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Artemis Fowl. **

* * *

**J. Argon Clinic, Haven City. The Lower Elements**

For the next few Hours, Orion had requested to be left alone. He'd told Holly that he was going to try and reach Artemis, but he also said not to hope for much.

"It's risky, for me and for Artemis." He said as Holly turned to go. "But in a few hours, one of us will be back."

Holly didn't turn around. She just nodded. "While you're there, try to find out what it is that's effecting you two."

Orion smiled. "Orders from Doctor Argon?"

Holly nodded. "Yes. My only orders are, get well quick, mud boy."

Orion saluted smartly. "Eye eye, Captain Short!"

Holly just nodded and walked out of the room.

XXXXXX

When she came back, several hours later, she was happy with what she saw.

"Artemis?" She said, lifting the head of the wide-eyed mud boy up and peering into his eyes. "Artemis, it that you?"

"Yes Holly, just for a little while. Orion had a- ah, talk with me, and I've decided to come out for a short period." He frowned, looked at Holly and then did something Artemis Fowl the second had never done in his life. He giggled.

"_Short_ amount of time. He he." He laughed again. Holly blinked and Artemis smiled. "Sorry Holly. My brain must be having a meltdown."

Holly snapped out of her surprised state, hard as it was, and said gently, "No no, Artemis. It's fine. I understand."

XXXXXX

A few hours later, after Holly had explained the things Orion had omitted, like his mother's frantic worry and Butler's stoic yet very concerned manner, (well, technically that was his usual state of existence,) Holly was sitting on his bed and they were talking, just like two normal people.

"Has mom come by, Holly?" Artemis asked, smiling. Holly was a little creeped out by this, only because she'd only seen him smile one time. Just once. Before all this happened, anyway.

Holly shook her head. "No, Artemis. Not yet."

Artemis sighed. "It's only to be expected. She must think I'm a terrible person."

Holly sighed. "Artemis-"

"And don't bother telling me that I'm not, because we both know that's not true." He said calmly.

Holly sighed again. She'd long-since given up trying to convince him that he wasn't in his right mind. Tha main problem was, he knew it. He knew something wasn't right, he just didn't care.

Holly just put on her LEP regulation smile and said, "I'm sure they'll be along shortly."

Artemis giggled again. "_Short_ly. He he. Honestly Holly, where do you get these jokes?"

Holly frowned, not sure if he was serious or if it was the disease talking. "Um, OK. Artemis, I need you to listen to me," she said, putting her arm gently on his shoulder. Inside her head, she was groaning. this was just like the Atlantis Complex. He could never focus on anything for long except her!

Artemis smiled. "Why Holly, what else do you think I've been doing this entire time?"

Holly groaned again, this time aloud. "Artemis, this is serious!"

Artemis sighed. "Let me guess, you want to know if I'm up for a meeting with Doctor Argon, right?"

Holly froze. That was _exactly _what she was going to ask.

"Well," Artemis said, rubbing his chin. "I'd say, no. Not now. I want to be alone with you, Holly. You are the only one who understands me."

Holy sighed. Not this again! "Artemis, I'm _not _the only person who understands you!" She paused and amended that sentence. "Well, not in this sense, anyway." She got up and started to pace the room. "You have more friends than ever, and you were just about to become legitimate!" Her back was to him now, so she couldn't see the grin stretching across Artemis's face. "I don't understand how this could've happened!" Holly said, facing the wall. Her eyes were closed and tears threatened to flow. From behind her, she heard a very cold voice.

"I do." She turned around and her eyes widened. It was Artemis, but his voice was very very different and his eyes were dark. Darker than midnight,

"Artemis?" She asked cautiously. She'd seen him like this the second time she'd visited him. His black eyes narrowed at her.

"Not anymore."

Holly blanched. This wasn't Artemis. This was the thing that had come out of Artemis in the manor, spewing black ooze.

The thing that was in Artemis's body stood up and revealed the hospital bedclothes that someone had put on him after his blackout. Holly stepped towards the door, but the dark thing inside Artemis got there first. "Where you going, deary? I'm not finished ye-"

He was cut off when Holly kicked him in the gut and screamed for security. Instead of security, Butler pounded through the door, (or more accurately, squeezed.) He stopped short when he saw the blackness in Artemis's eyes.

"Artemis? Is that you?" The bodyguard said, staring at the very pale figure. The figure hissed.

"Not anymore. Let me go and I might let you live."

This was an odd thing for him to say, even in a delusional state. Artemis, take on Butler? Impossible. In a Chess match, maybe he'd win, but in a battle of brute strength? Holy prayed Butler could put him down without breaking anything.

"Holly," Butler said. "I need you to leave."

Holly looked incredulously at the manservant. "Me? What about you?"

Butler glanced at the dark Artemis and said, "I'll be fine."

Holy nodded, not looking to sure and ran for the exit. The dark Artemis moved to block her but Butler grabbed him by the back of the neck, that way a mother cat lifts her kittens, and threw him carefully onto the bed.

"Go!" Butler ordered. Holly was just standing there, dumbstruck. "GO!" He yelled again. Holly ran, pounding on the key-coded door that would get her out and into the hallway. The door slid with a bang and all Holly could hear from the other side of the door was the ominous beeping of the IV that had been disconnected.

XXXXXXX

Back in Artemis's room, the dark Artemis was already on his feet again. "Well well, Butler. Going to kill me now aren't you?" He said, circling butler like a particularly nasty vulture. "Good of you to return the favor."

Butler's expression didn't shift, but inside he was reeling with questions. "Return the favor? You never killed me, Artemis."

The dark Artemis smiled. "Oh, you see but I did. I killed you twice, in fact, and I tried to kill you many times over! The troll attack, for instance," He said, holding up his first finger on his right hand. "That should've killed you, and I'm pretty sure it did, only for a few seconds. But then that meddlesome, if not extremely pretty elfin Captain healed you."

Butler remembered. He remembered every single bit of it, down to the time it had happened, but the way this, _thing _was telling it, it sounded like Artemis wanted him dead.

"And then there was that stunt in London. Truly inspired! dying for your master." The dark Artemis sighed. "But then that stupid little goody-goody had to ruin everything by _helping_. What a waste!" The dark Artemis smiled. "So many lost opportunities and chances to do away with the lot of you! Meddlesome humans!"

Butler raised an eyebrow. "You are human, Artemis."

"I'm not!" The dark Artemis spat. "And I'm not _Artemis_ either!" His smile turned into a smirk that was scarier than even his vampire smile. It sent shivers going up and down Butler's spine. "I am something completely new and completely bad."

Butler nearly rolled his eyes. Even in a psychotic state, Artemis was still the biggest of all grand-standers. "Well, if you're not Artemis, then what are you?" He asked, staring into those cold black eyes.

"I am . . ." The dark Artemis said, thinking. "I am Otus, named for the giant who incurred the wrath of the goddess Artemis, although he can't go much to me now, can he?" He said, laughing. The sound was so horrible and cold that it nearly made Butler faint.

"Well, Otus, why don't you just-"

"Why don't _you_ just shut up, granddad?!" Otus yelled, still circling him. His voice had gotten lower and quieter. so quiet that Butler could barely hear him. "No one tells me what to do, do you understand? NO ONE!" The scream nearly blew Butler off his feet, and that was saying something. It took a lot to shake up Butler, but he was internally ready to run like a cheetah if Otus tried to attack him.

Otus stopped and said regretfully, "See, that's the problem with you humans. You're always trying to tell other, _better_, species what to do. The Dung Beetle has a more fulfilling life than a _human!"_ Otus laughed again. "Honestly Butler, i don't know how you live with yourself."

Butler cracked a very small grin. "It's hard, but I try."

Otus gave him a full-sized grin and said, "Not for much longer." And then he lunged, going for Butler's weakest point. His legs.

Butler was ready, but the force of impact send him smashing up against the wall, where the thing he once called friend proceeded to attack him with much for ferocity and strength that Butler thought he'd possessed. Butler tried to fight back, but Otus moved faster than Butler could even blink, kicking and scratching, punching with far more precision that Artemis could ever have. Butler took the blows because he knew he couldn't hurt him.

Suddenly, something came over Butler. He knew that this wasn't Artemis, and he knew that his first duty was to protect Artemis.

He moved in a split second, grabbing Otus by the throat and hoisting him up until his head hit the ceiling.

"Going to kill me _now_, Butler?" Otus said. Strangely, he wasn't clawing at Butler's trashcan lid-sized hand or gasping for breath like a normal human would. He just stared at Butler with those cold black eyes. "I thought your job was to _protect_ Artemis? How is killing him protecting him?"

Butler loosened his grip and threw Otus against the wall. Otus landed with a sickening thud and slid down the wall, landing in a heap. Butler headed cautiously over, first making sure he was unconscious, and then checking his pulse. He was alive, but barely. Butler sighed and whispered quietly, "I _am_ protecting Artemis. I'm protecting him from himself." And then he hit the key-code sequence and headed out into the Hallway, where Holly was waiting with very wide eyes.

"Is he OK?" Holly asked, staring from the door to Butler, who had several very large cuts and bruises. **  
**

Butler took a deep breath and said, "All I can say is, _bad_."


	12. Chapter 12: Partial Diagnosis

**Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl**

* * *

**J. Argon Clinic, Haven City; The Lower Elemen****t****s**

Several hours later, after they'd managed to tranquillize Otus, strap him down and get him to a secure room Holly, Argon and Butler reconvened in a small unused office.

Holly sat on a chair, Argon didn't sit and Butler squatted in the biggest space available. No one spoke for several minutes, then Holly whispered, "Argon, just what is Fowl dealing with?"

Doctor Argon shuffled several cards of notes and said, "I'm of the opinion,"

Butler interrupter quietly. "Be advised, little man. If you say you have no idea what kind of disease Artemis is suffering from, I may get mad. And when I get mad, things tend to get broken."

Argon took a deep breath, trying not to drop his notes as he shuffled them once more. "Butler, listen." He said cautiously. "I know you are both upset. Probably more so than I can possibly imagine. But threatening isn't going to help Artemis!"

Butler groaned inside. The Doctor was right. "Very well. I apologize. Now, what have you found?"

Inside, Argon grinned with satisfaction. Outside, He just nodded. "Very well. Artemis's symptoms have shown, along with the test results from his blood and the insights of Orion, that Artemis is suffering from a fairy malady, but a completely new one. It's basis is constructed around the magic that plagued his system for several months. You both know of what I speak."

Butler and Holly both nodded. They knew. He meant the time Artemis and Holly had traveled to Hybras, the demon island, through a time-tunnel. In that time-tunnel, they'd switched left eyes, and, for no apparent reason, some of Holly's magic had flowed into Artemis, giving him only a limited amount of fairy magic. As far as Holly knew, all that magic had been used up when he'd tried to heal his mother's case of Spelltropy. Artemis had made no move to contact the fairies about side-effects of his ill-gotten magic, so they'd all assumed that the magic was agreeing with him, but the way doctor Argon told it, it might have caused all of this.

"But, he used all that up," Butler said, thinking along the same lines as Holly. "The magic is gone."

Argon raised a finger. "Ah, that's what we would think. But it is not! Artemis didn't come to me, of course, but these test results say clearly that Artemis's system didn't just take in the magic. It _embraced_ the magic."

Holly raised her eyebrow. "What?"

Argon sighed. This was like trying to explain quantum physics to a Dwarf. "Artemis's system, his entire body, took it upon itself to completely meld with the magic. This was it's only choice because the human body is not made to harbor magic. I've only ever seen three cases like this. Each was unique."  
Argon pulled the file that was laying on the desk towards him and pulled out three papers. "The first was Torre Alighieri, an Italian elf that lived off the Gulf of Naples in 79 A.D. He buried three acorns at once and, as a result, managed to cause the eruption of a volcano near there, burying the entire village and two others in molten lava and ash."

Butler raised an eyebrow. "Was that mountain-"

"Vesuvius? Yes. And the village was indeed Pompeii." Argon said, sliding the next one forward. "Next we have Philippa Brillinia. She lived in a secluded shack in Lisbon, Portugal in 1755 and she was a centaur. As you know, Holly, centaurs don't have magic. Not a drop, so the fact that the second most recent case is a centaur kind of astounds me."

"Just tell me what she did, Argon." Holly said, rubbing her forehead.

"Well, this centaur filly got it into her head that she could strike a deal with another fairy. A Pixie. We don't have her name on record, but apparently this Pixie gave her something that sucked magic out of the earth itself, or so the LEP at the time thought. Now we know that the magic was coming from the Dwarfs below the surface. This object that the Pixie gave Philippa transferred their magic to her."

Holly raised a quizzical eyebrow. "But how does that-"

"Let me finish," Argon said, holding up his hand. "I'm almost through."

Holly sighed and gestured for him to go on.

"Well, the thing was, magic doesn't come in one specific shape or form. It's as unique as each Fairy that controls it. Dwarfs don't have much magic, but if you get a little magic many times from a source, you can build up quite an array of magic. And getting a lot of magic from different sources, well," Argon said, smiling sadly. "That just turns you into a walking time-bomb. Her body wasn't equipped to handle_ any_ type of magic, so the only choice was for the magic to meld into her system and hope she would live through the process. Sadly, she did not."

Holly thought about it. "So, a bunch of different magic inside one person-"

"Will basically cause them to explode, or, in Philippa's case, an earthquake. When she sucked out their magic, the Dwarfs caused the earth to rumble and the largest earthquake in decades to ensue." Argon said, nodding.

"What's the last?" Holly asked, pulling the final file towards her.

"The last is kind of in two parts," Argon admitted. "It begins with Moqutar Vileen."

Holy blinked. "Moqutar Vileen? I know him! My mother used to tell me this story when I was a child."

Argon nodded. "So you're familiar with this tale. Good." Argon turned to the squatting manservant and said, "Well, for your benefit, Butler, Moqutar Vileen was a very powerful warlock from the north who enjoyed messing with magic and jewels. Along his travels he met a human who gave him a room and food after he had been walking day and night for ten days straight. In return for his kindness, Moqutar made the mistake of sharing a magical secret with the human. He gave the human a small diamond, no bigger than a bean and said that if he were to bury it, it would make him the richest man in the world, and then he went on his way. The human, thinking it would make the crop that had been failing in his fields grow strong and healthy again took the diamond and buried it. Instead, the ground erupted with diamonds that had the same powers as the first, and the human happily sold them for a great profit. All except the one Moqutar had first given him."

Argon smiled and said, "I always loved this story when I was a young elf."

Holly nodded. "Me too, but I never imagined that it was true."

Argon smiled again, wider this time. "Every myth has a grain of truth, Captain. Leprechauns are popular fiction and fantasy for the mortal world, are they not?"

Holly smiled and gestured for him to go on. Argon obliged.

"Anyway, a few months after the jewels were sold, the men that had bought them came to the human to complain. According to the story, the diamonds had all turned to dust. The human was confused, but not for long. He realized that only he could have the magic diamonds and sadly, he had to give them their money back. Later, the human decided that he didn't need riches, so he buried the diamonds far beneath the surface, where they were changed by time and shifts in the earth. The area where the human had buried them was, for a short while, underwater, then a volcano erupted near them and formed a cavernous lake, which brings me to the next part."

Argon took out a picture and handed it to Holly. "Virgil Bae, from South America. In 1986 Virgil got together a team of Dwarfs to try and dig beneath the lake near his village, Lake Nyos, because he could smell the diamonds that had been buried down there long ago. Now, the lake had been emitting large quantities of CO2 over the years, which suffocates humans and fairies alike, but not Dwarfs. Dwarfs have special skin cells that allow Oxygen to be leeched from just about any element. They planned to tunnel all the way down, beneath the lava, to where diamonds were sitting there, multiplying by the day." Argon stopped to take a breath and Holly waited impatiently for him to go on.

"Now," Argon said as if speaking to a couple of five-year-olds. "This is most important. The diamonds that Virgil was going after were the same magic diamonds that Moqutar made, but they'd been warped over the years and now they were fossilized. That kind of fossilization can emit plenty of gasses, many of which are poisonous. So these Dwarfs managed to dig down to the lava, but they couldn't figure out a way to get _through_ it. Eventually, they did manage to get through and they found the fossilized diamonds, but the gasses that had been trapped down there in little pockets of hollow magma were released and that, coupled with the CO2 that the Dwarfs were emitting ignited a huge explosion beneath the earth and caused the release of 100,000 tons of CO2, which suffocated all on the surface but the dwarves. The dwarfs were still alive, but something had happened when all those chemicals were released. We're not sure exactly how, but after studying the dwarfs the LEP discovered that they were, how is you young elves put it? Red hot?"

Holly nodded. "Yes."

"Well, these fellows were _white_-hot. They each had so much magic in them that they spontaneously combusted after three days. The magic from the fossilized diamonds had transferred into them but, as dwarfs are only able to handle a certain amount of magic, melding was the only other option. . . and that was a _lot_ of pent-up magic."

Argon slid the files into their folder and sat back, letting the story sink in.

"You know what I'm noticing?" Butler said quietly, making them both jump. "I'm noticing that all these fairies have one thing in common: they're all dead! How does this help Artemis who, incidentally, is _alive." _

Argon sighed. "That's what I'm trying to tell you! All these cases, they're completely different except for one element: these fairies all overloaded on magic! During some kind of situation, wither voluntarily or no, they took it into their system and it _consumed_ them. They did die, Butler, but they left something behind; they left part of Artemis's cure!"

Holly raised an eyebrow again. "A cure?"

"_Part _of a cure," Argon corrected. "The whole disease is much more complicated than this. The first part is curing this case of Magimeld."

Holly raised both eyebrows. "Magimeld?"

Argon grinned sheepishly. "I couldn't think of anything else to call it."

Holly nodded. It made sense. "So, what _is_ this partial cure?"

Argon pulled another file from behind him and said, "This is. It's the formula for a mixture that can flush out magic completely, from any body. It will have to be tampered with, given Artemis's human nature, but I think this is it. We- well, my predecessor and his assistant, constructed this after the Nyos incident. It's meant to feed on the magic, sucking the body completely dry of it. it won't be painful, but he'll probably be in a coma for a few days."

Holly's mouth fell open. "A few days?! Argon, this disease or whatever it is gets more serious by the hour! In a few days he might be dead!"

Argon patted Holly on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry Holly. That's just a possibility. I'm sure he'll be fine."

Holy nodded and was dismayed to see tears streaming on her face and dripping onto her jumpsuit.

"I'm going to go talk to Juliet. " Butler said, standing up as much as he could and squeezing out the door. "She should know what's going on."

Holly nodded and Argon picked up the file, studying it carefully, trying to ignore the crying elf in front of him.

"Do you think we should call №1?" Holly asked, after she'd stemmed her flow of tears.

"Absolutely not!" Argon said, putting down his file. "Another magical being is _definitely_ not what Artemis needs. In fact, Holly, I don't want you to be in the same room with him for a few days."

Holly raised her head to stare incredulously at the Doctor. "What?" She asked.

Argon took her hand gently and said, "I know you have feelings for him, but right now I think it's best if you just stay away for a bit." Holly was going to protest loudly, but Argon cut her off. "Apart from your magic, which he probably tried to leech a few hours ago, I think it's the site of you that triggers these fits." Argon took a deep breath and said, "Orion told me about your episodes in the Manor."

Holly stared at him, wondering how much Orion had told.

"He told me that Artemis said you would hurt him. Do you know why?" Argon asked, gently rubbing her hand encouragingly.

Holy sniffed and wiped her nose. "No. I have to idea. I would never hurt Artemis! He's one of my best friends!"

Argon nodded. "Yes, Holly. I know. But what I think is he knew that he was sick. He knew that this was coming and, in a last-ditch effort, he tried to tall you that it was your presence, or your magic fueling him and the disease."

Argon let go of her hand and Holly said slowly, "So, whatever this disease is, I gave it to Artemis?"

Argon shook his head. "No, Holly. You didn't start it. You're just escalating it. You're making it worse, but you didn't start it." He took another deep breath and said, "Whatever this thing is, it's nothing I've ever faced before. I honestly hope Artemis comes out of this alive."

Holly looked up at him again. her eyes were slightly puffy. "Is death probable?"

"Death is more than likely, Holly, but we must hope for the best." He stood up. "I'll have this made by tomorrow morning," he said, meaning the partial cure. "You try and get some rest, Captain."

Holly nodded and the doctor left her alone in the unused office. She stayed there for over an hours, sitting in a chair, all the while thinking, _did I really kill my best friend?_


	13. Chapter 13: A Battle in Mind

**Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl.**

* * *

Inside Artemis's head, a fierce battle was raging. It was Artemis and Orion against Otus, the dark figure that had crawled from the darkest depths of Artemis's disease.

Orion flung a chair at Otus, which bounced off him as if it were a rubber ball. "We can't hold out much longer!" He yelled at Artemis, who was backed up into a corner, trying to keep Otus's attention focused on him instead of the screen which allowed Artemis and Orion to jump into Artemis's body. That was Otus's main goal; to get back into the real world and hurt everyone Orion and Artemis loved. They wouldn't let that happen.

"You're right, Orion. You can't hold out much longer." Otus said snidely, stepping out into the open and vanishing back behind his table barricade before the clock that Orion threw hit him. "What can a sick human and a love-sick alter-ego do against me? I am everything that was Artemis Fowl, and infinitely more." Otus came out again and easily side-stepped when Artemis chucked a small table at him.

"We can go on for days, Otus." Artemis said, fighting to stay conscious. The disease was starting to effect him even here. His brain started showing him pictures of Holly, on the ground, with blood everywhere. Then is switched to Butler, lying on the cart in En Fa, the fish restaurant in London when he got shot. Artemis tried to shake these visions away, but he couldn't. they were too powerful.

Orion stepped out too. He could see that Artemis was in no shape to take down this monster, so he knew he would have to do it. "_Love-sick_ alter-ego?" He said, smiling. "Not anymore. I still love Holly, and Artemis does too, but we both know that it can't go far and it won't end well, but we still love her! And I will still fight for her. I will not let a monster like you into the world."

Artemis cracked a grin, though it was extremely painful. Yep, they were definitely like him. Grand-standers to the end. Orion started to circle Otus and Otus just stood there, smiling evilly.

"So, before I turn you into dust, I'd like to know something," Otus said, his eyes following Orion's every move.

"What's that?" Orion spat, wary of his mind-games.

"Why was it you?"

Orion faltered momentarily, then regained his sense of confidence. "I don't know-"

"Oh, of course you do." Otus said, smiling broadly. "Why was it you that came out when Artemis was shocked, that day in the ice? I mean, you served no purpose then, other than a nuisance to that very lovely Captain."

Orion threw a very heavy book at Otus. "Shut up about Holly! In fact, shut up in general."

Otus faked a tremor of fear. "Oooh, _scary_. Listen lover-boy, the elf isn't going to choose you. just accept it! I'm sure you'll probably find some nice troll to accept you and love you for the figmentation you really are. You're not _real_, Orion. The only real one of us in this room is me! Because I have more power than you."

_Why _did _I show up that day? Why was I created?_ _He's right. I don't serve much of a purpose._ Orion tried to block those thoughts out, but it was hard. Finally he yelled, "You're not! _You're_ the one who isn't real! Artemis is the original one and he's a human. You're just a stupid illusion."

Otus clicked his tongue. "Tut tut, Orion. It's not wise to insult me."

Suddenly, Orion launched himself at Otus, catching him off guard and sending them sprawling across the room. Artemis knew he should try to help Orion, but he couldn't move. His brain was paralyzing his body with the images shown; all of them were ones where he'd caused something to happen. Holly's finger, Holly's kidnapping, Butler dying, twice-

_"Twice."_ Artemis said quietly to himself. "I didn't kill Butler twice. I didn't kill him!" Realization came in a flash. Butler wasn't dead. He was alive, and so was Holly. He couldn't let this thing hurt them. Suddenly, the images stopped and he was able to rise from the floor. Artemis took seven powerful steps, strength returning with every inch, and finally he stood over the two alter-egos, glaring down at Otus with such hate that Otus froze, staring up at him. Orion took this opportunity to punch Otus in the nose and Otus pushed him away, swearing.

"You," He said venomously when Artemis stepped forward. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to stop you, Otus, or _whatever_ you are." Artemis said. His mismatched eyes were bright and fiery and his Raven hair crackled with blue sparks. Magic. Artemis felt it coursing through his veins and through his every molecule.  
"I'm not going to let Holly or anyone else be hurt or even _touched_ by you." He said, circling Otus. Otus's eyes flashed red with anger. "You are a sick, twisted result of a chemical and magical mixture. You don't exist. Orion does exist, however, because he is a part of me. He loves Holly as much as I do, and neither of us will just stand by and watch you make our loved ones suffer."

Otus smiled, his black eyes turning into slits. "_You?_ What can you do? You're nothing but a human. I am the one who holds the power here, not you."

Artemis shook his head. The blue sparks crackled along his skin. "I _do _have the power, Otus. I have the power to throw you out of my system and back to the hell where you were created."

Otus smiled. "Well, here I am. I was created in your own brain, _Arty_. So how are you going to get rid of me now?"

XXXXXXXXX

**Several hours after the meeting in the office**

Holly was sitting in a chair in her apartment. Since Doctor Argon had asked her to stay away from Artemis or Otus or whoever he might be when he woke up, she'd retreated half-way across Haven to her secluded little apartment. She still kept her call cube with her at all times, but she hadn't much hope that they would need her.

Holly, feeling more depressed than she'd ever felt, headed to the bathroom where she slipped off her jumpsuit, which she'd been wearing for days, and stepped into her shower. As the warm water cascaded around her, her mind wandered, as it was bound to in any case, back to Artemis and his disease.

_If I truly didn't give it to him, then why do I feel so dejected? _She asked herself as she washed twenty-seven hours' worth of dirt and sweat from her auburn hair. _And why did this new alter-ego suddenly emerge? What triggered it? _

After she got out and toweled off, slipping into some clean clothes and falling back onto her small bed, she wondered if Artemis was ever going to be completely cured.

"I mean, as far as Argon knows, this new disease is partially Atlantis Complex, right?" She asked thin air. "MPD, Atlantis Complex is mostly found among guilt-ridden fairies, _not_ humans, and yet Artemis was plagues by it for months. Now it's escalated into a worse disease and I can't do anything about it besides make it worse!"

Something seemed to take root in Holly's mind and she couldn't help thinking about all the parts she'd played in Artemis's crazy adventures. She'd saved his father, she'd saved his life, she'd saved Butler. . .

_I killed Root, I nearly killed Artemis's mother, I screwed up Butler's healing and turned him into an old man. . ._These thoughts came unbidden and soon Holly was reduced to throwing soft things at the wall, her skull nearly splitting open in an effort to show her more of the bad things she'd done.

"This is ridiculous." She said, holding her head in her hands. "I just wanted to live a normal life; be the first female recon Captain ever was nice, sure, but look at all the trouble it caused me! I was nearly killed more times than I can _count_ and I've killed and nearly killed the same. I just wanted a normal life, but now I'm stuck here, waiting. Everything keeps running through my head: _Will Artemis live? Will he not? Am I so stupid to think that he actually cares for me?!"_

In her frustration and anger, she threw herself down on her bed, sobbing. "I want to help Artemis, I _need_ to help Artemis, but all I do is make it worse! He tried to warn me, but I didn't listen and now I'm making it a lot worse!"

Holly rolled over onto her back and said to the ceiling dejectedly, "What am I supposed to do? I caused all this, giving Artemis my magic in the time-tunnel. I could've stopped it! Ordered it back into me! I could've done-" Then she stopped, looking up at the mirror that was across from her. "Oh no," She said. "It can't be! It's not contagious!"

She ran to her call cube and quickly said, "Argon, doctor." Her eyes were wide with fear and her voice cracked on the syllable of his first name. the call cube checked her phone book in a microsecond and dialed the number in another microsecond.

"Hello, Doctor J. Argon's clinic, how may I help you?" Said the receptionist's voice on the other end. Holly swore and the receptionist, thinking this was a prank call, pushed the cancel call button on her call cube immediately.

Holly swore again, this time because she'd meant for the cube to call Argon's personal number. "Screw it!" She said and overrode the voice-coded program, switching to manual. A small keyboard slid out at her request and she typed in the doctor's number, waiting until the call went through.

"Doctor Argon. Make it quick, I'm very busy."

"Argon, it's Holly." Holly said quickly.

"Holly?" Argon said, frowning. "Why are you calling?"

Holly took a deep breath and said, "I think I'm developing Atlantis Complex."

* * *

**Sorry peeps to leave you hanging like that but, hey, that's what writers do! **

**Oh, and thank you Kuronekohimesama and Tawny for being such good and faithful reviewers. Thanks to Arkie, Andromeda and the Ye old story teller for the nice reviews. I'll look forward to more, and so will you. Goodnight, and big books. **


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